Remodeling Green Takes the Right Mindset

To a real estate investor remodeling green maylittle caster wheels that can be bought cheaply in
mean the money they are going to make frommost large home improvement stores. The ones
renovating that ugly house they just bought for awith locking mechanisms are nice. All you have to
SUCH A DEAL price. To others, it means theyworry about is smoothing the cut edges and
want to preserve the earth and not wasteinstalling edging or simply routing the edge into a
energy, building materials or resources when theynice shape. You can have a matching rolling
remodel their home. Some homeowners andportable countertop space without spending much
contractors look for and use only products thattime or money. Oh yeah, don't forget to see if
are advertised as being green, or beingsomeone can use the old countertop and sink for
manufactured in a way that is as non-toxic asa garage parts washing basin, garden potting
possible. They may put in new appliances andcenter or maybe a fish cleaning station for the
HVAC units that are energy efficient. And buildoutdoors folks.
new properties with an eye to energy efficiencyIf you cruise the tool aisles, I'm sure you know
in the construction methods applied. That's allabout the great numbers of handy dandy
good.gadgety items for sale. Nail sets are nice, but if
Another way to remodel green is to think aboutyou don't have one, try using a nail with a slightly
what may be thrown in landfills when it could belarger head than the one you are driving. A tap or
used again. Some demolitions are done too quicklytwo with the nails head to head and your nail is
and roughly to save much of anything. Takingset. Ever seen one of those plastic nail holders
some time there can keep hundreds of pounds ofthat keeps you from banging your fingers and
good building materials out of the waste stream. Iwaking the neighborhood cats with your wailing?
once had someone tease me on a job siteTry a small piece of cardboard instead. A little
because I was taking some time to remove anotch and your fingers can be protected. Or the
few nails from lumber. I had found some 14 footplastic spreaders sold to apply many materials.
long hardwood 2x6s with no knotholes and twoYou can use the plastic lids found on many food
or three nails in each of them. Hey, I'll spend 15containers in the grocery store. You can cut a
minutes any day to save $100 worth of woodround lid in half and have a nifty spreader of a
from being dumped. I doubt you could get lumbercustom size. Or the plastic pans sold to hold a
that good anymore in most places without payingsmall amount of the liquid materials for outrageous
a stiff premium price. Bring me a truckload, please.prices. Try one of those plastic tops they use on
You woodworkers know what I'm talking about.bakery cakes, or the microwave convenience
Yes, there IS wood pretty enough to admire andfood plastic bowls instead . Instead of buying a
remember. Think about each component that yousanding block, why not try using a small scrap
are removing, or working on, during a renovationpiece of wood from your projects? Egg cartons
and decide on a way to remove it with the leastcan be used to organize small items. It's my
damage. Someone may want it if you don't. Hastemission not to let any plastic have only one use in
DOES make waste!my household. Only problem is, if it is a while
One of the tricks I've done is to keep the area ofbefore you need them, these saved treasures
a countertop that has to be cutout for sinks, etc.may change your nickname to pack rat, but
I install legs using common items I may havemultiple use recycling is remodeling green so who
recycled from somewhere else and add thosecares? You get the idea. Go for it!