The past decade has seen a significant rise in the amount of people practicing reduce, reuse, recycle. With the help of scientists, celebrities, and caring people everywhere the green movement has truly begun to find the momentum it needs. People across the country, and the world, are finally recycling paper products, aluminum, glass, and cardboard as a matter of course. And yet, there’s more that can be done. We must continue to push the importance of green, making sure that we use recycled material wherever possible, and stay conscious of the need to reduce our carbon footprint.
One of the most overlooked ways to bring recycled material into the home is in the materials we use throughout the home, the very elements from which our house is crafted. Here are some materials you can use throughout the home that can greatly help keep your home and family green.
Recycled glass
Glass is one of the better-known recyclable objects in the home. Nearly everyone who recycles other products recycles glass as well. What isn’t as well-known is the way recycled glass can be used throughout the home. Glass has astounding flexibility, and its secondary uses include:
- Home countertops
- Brick manufacture
- Ceramic sanitary products (toilets, showers, etc.)
- Insulation
- Water filtration systems
- Astroturf
As you can see, there are a variety of uses and options for recycled glass throughout the home. However, by far the widest use of glass throughout the home is as an aggregate (basically when glass is ground down into small bits and pieces, which are no longer sharp), which can help subsidize concrete. Also, it’s used in flooring and is a key ingredient in some countertops. Glass aggregate is a marvelous way to reuse recycled product throughout the home.
Source: Greenbuildingelements.com
By Edward Stuart