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The Four Rs of Going Green

Summer is here and it’s a great time to keep your green habits going strong! Here are our Four Rs of Going Green:

1. Recycle: Trash, clothing, even furniture! You probably already recycle your paper, plastic etc. But do you ever think to recycle your business or work clothing? Instead of throwing them away, because you are tired of them or they are outdated, old or worn try donating them to Workforce Centers or Women’s Shelters. Every state has them. These non-profits give to those in need – at no charge – your gently used clothing to people starting a career and have nothing to wear. Believe me, you’ll feel great knowing that you have helped someone look good and feel confident in their new job! And they didn’t have to pay a penny!

2. Re-purpose: A big trend right now! HGTV & DIY T.V. shows, new re-purpose stores, and DIY’ers are thinking Green and creating new ways of using old products or things you may already have around your house. You might use great-grandpa’s old tools as towel or coat hooks. Grandma’s doilies look vintage and stunning framed on the wall. Pintrest is a fantastic way to find ideas to re-purpose.

3. Re-surface: Have you ever thought of painting your cabinets? Your furniture? Resurfacing your existing counters, interior & exterior floors, shower walls, patios, or garage floors? Perhaps you don’t like the color, pattern or design. There is no need to tear out what you have if it is still in good shape. There are products out there that are “green” and won’t fill the landfill with your old, outdated products! Newer paints have low VOC’s and wonderful colors. Re-surfacing products like Granicrete, which is made of a very thin, durable layers of concrete that has the look of stone, tile, wood is a wonderful use of your existing surfaces.

4. Refresh: Don’t get new accessories, furniture, lamps or pictures; Just move them into a different room or arrange them in a new way! Try mixing up your accessory or picture arrangements that you traditionally had together. It’s amazing how just re-arranging will make the room look fresher and you’ll feel renewed in your new living space!

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The Changing Face of Granite and its Alternatives

In July, we were featured in Content Craftsman’s online blog, The Changing Face of Granite and its Alternatives. Check out what Tom Sweeney had to say about Granicrete below, and if you’d like to read the full post, it’s here!

Some granite alternatives certified food safe
If you like the look of stone but want to avoid the sealing issue, consider quartz (such as Cambria) or a cement-based surfacing material (such as Granicrete).

Cambria counters are made from dense quartz crystals embedded in resin that does not absorb moisture. Granicrete is a modified cement-based surfacing material that is colored to resemble granite and sealed with clear epoxy and/or water-based polyurethane. It can be installed over engineered wood or laminate.

Because Cambria and Granicrete are less porous, neither absorbs bacteria or stains. What’s more, both are certified for commercial food equipment materials (splash zones) by the independent testing organization, National Sanitation Foundation (NSF). Granicrete’s epoxy surface had been NSF/ANSI 51 certified since 2011. However, the Granicrete’s WB-P53 polyurethane finish just earned NSF 51 approval last month.