Green Roofs: The Apex of Green Living

The green roof, or living roof, is an idea that is finally taking root. As towns and cities across the country grapple with ways to reduce the flow of stormwater into aging sewer systems, green roofs have sprung up on the tops of buildings from coast to coast.

Modern green roofs are nothing like the sod roofs of yore (remember "Little House on the Prairie"?). These days, they're about three or four inches thick and planted with sedum -- hardy, water-storing succulents, some of which flower in season.

Most often you'll find green roofs on apartment and commercial buildings, but individual homeowners in some areas are slowly adopting them, despite the cost.

"A lot of times it will be integrated into the house as an accessible space," says Stuart Berg, project engineer for Roofmeadow in Philadelphia. "Because there is no direct monetary benefit, the homeowner often wants to see it or access it."

The benefits are primarily aesthetic and environmental. However, in addition to absorbing rainwater, green roofs can reduce heating and cooling costs. They also help improve air quality and lower surface temperature, particularly in cities.

The cost of a residential green roof is about $15 to $18 per square foot, Berg says. It generally supports about 30 pounds per square foot, so you'll need a structural engineer to evaluate your current roof to make sure it can bear the weight. In some cases, you might also require a roofer to install the initial waterproof barrier -- usually a single-ply plastic sheet.

A contractor specializing in green roofs can then lay down the subsequent layers: protection fabric (usually a root barrier and/or insulation); drain media; a filter; growth media or soil; and, finally, the plants. There are many varieties of sedum, and the best combination of plants depends on where you live. Residents in warmer climates would do well to choose varieties that can go up to 60 days without water. "They'll survive in July and August without any rain, whereas a native plant would not," says Jimmy Dick, business development manager for Maryland-based Furbish Company. 

If your roof is flat, you could potentially install a green roof yourself with modular pieces. However, it's generally advisable to hire a professional, especially if your existing roof has a steep pitch. Slopes greater than 16 degrees generally require additional stabilization, lest your roof come sliding off.

Once your green roof is installed, it can last up two to three times what's promised in the original warranty -- even as long as 40 years, Dick says. However, it requires regular maintenance, like any other roof. Weeding is usually needed once a month during the growing season, which varies by region. In the mid-Atlantic, that's usually from March through October. In southern states, it would be longer; shorter in northern states.

"After a couple of years of no maintenance, they're a mess," Dick says of green roofs. "It's very hard to recover once the soil has been contaminated with weed seeds for several years."

Costs can vary depending on the type of growing system you install, the size of your roof and whether you are going to incorporate elements of an outdoor garden, such as pavers.

If you're not sure you're ready for a green roof, or if the up-front cost is too daunting, you can always start small to reduce your property's contribution to stormwater runoff. "Maybe your shed is a better place," Berg says, "or your garage."

You know the environment is in rough shape, and you admire those people who have drastically changed their lifestyle to make things right. But you've become set in your ways, and really, how much can one person do?

As it turns out, a lot. So, stop making excuses and start practicing small steps that add up. Below are 10 low-effort, high-impact lifestyle changes that can go a long way toward making our beautiful blue planet a lot greener:

- Separate your trash bins. Thankfully, to most people this point seems as antiquated as reminding folks to not smoke on an airplane. But if you somehow haven't already gotten in the habit, there are few ways you can make a bigger environmental impact than by simply recycling your trash. Already doing it? As you pat yourself on the back with one hand, be sure the other is redoubling your efforts at home and in the office.

- Plug in, turn on, save light. One million cars off the road. That's the equivalent pollution reduction we could achieve if every household simply replaced one light bulb with a compact fluorescent one. Think of all the earth has given you -- is such a request too much to ask in return?

- Put your money where your mouth is. As an American consumer, you vote every day with your wallet. So take a good hard look at whether your money is going toward responsible, self-sustainable companies with a mission statement you can stand behind -- or shady, bottom-line-focused ones that would happily sacrifice tomorrow's environment for today's profit. Whether you're buying thousands of dollars in stock or a 99-cent pack of chewing gum, make sure your green is delivering a similarly colored message.

- Recycle your rebates. One of the main attractions of buying a hybrid, putting new windows in your home or even getting a new fridge is the considerable rebate the government dangles before you like a carrot on a stick. But if you're cashing that check and then spending the money on an air conditioner and a can of hairspray, well, you're kinda missing the point. Reduce, reuse and re-invest your green efforts -- it's a great way to make a double-dip impression.

- Flip it over. Starting now, get in the habit of using both sides of paper. Whether it's a laundry list, a note to someone else or a work document printed on two sides, this simple habit will automatically halve the amount of paper you'll use over your lifetime.

- Get less wet. If you can cut your daily shower by two minutes, that's 10 gallons saved per day -- imagine the impact over a month, year or lifetime! While you're at it, cut out baths altogether (they use twice as much water), and don't leave the faucet running when you brush your teeth or wash your face. You'll be every bit as clean -- and so will your conscience.

- Get your house in order. Your home is your own personal base of operations -- and the small slice of our globe that you're responsible for. So, what are you doing with it? From energy sources to exterior surfacing, appliances to cleaning materials, every choice you make will have substantial consequences over your decades of home-dwelling. So choose wisely, and with Mother Earth in mind.

- Cruise or lose. About to take a long trip? Don't forget that cruise control button on your steering wheel! It's been estimated that cruising at a steady rate of speed can increase your gas mileage by as much as 15 percent -- and it gives your foot a nice rest, too.

- Dirty business. This one's for the parents out there: By the time a newborn goes from birth to potty training, it is estimated the child will use between 5,000 and 8,000 diapers. Rather than sending all those to a landfill, choose a better alternative -- cloth is the way to go.

- Trim the beef. No, you don't need to become a tofu-eating vegetarian. But would you consider eating one vegetarian meal a week? The true cost of a hamburger includes thousands of gallons of water, transportation fuels, greenhouse gas emissions and other incredibly inefficient means that have led to some people labeling beef "the Hummer of food." If everyone went vegetarian once a week, imagine the positive effect on the environment.

The first thing you need to know: You're not alone.

If you're aiming to green your home -- or purchase a new one that's already environmentally sound -- dozens of programs exist to assist you in your goal, both through technical know-how and tax incentives. These can go a long way toward ensuring your house isn't an energy sieve (thereby saving you money in the long run) and helping you use more sustainable building materials (thereby aiding the environment).

For starters, homeowners looking to finance energy improvements in their dwellings should look into the Federal Housing Administration's federally insured energy efficiency mortgages.

The concept is simple: The money you pay out for improvements in energy efficiency can be rolled directly into your mortgage, with additional expenses guaranteed by the federal government through the FHA.

But wait, there's more: The program, by factoring in energy-saving technologies, can also help those who are trying to buy a new home. It's done by calculating the projected savings in energy costs as your personal income, thereby boosting your home-buying power by increasing the size of the mortgage for which you qualify.

Federal tax credits can also directly offset green improvements to your home. If you add solar electric or hot water, you'll be rewarded with a 30 percent tax credit for all costs incurred. (You have until the end of 2016 to get the system up and running.)

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 included $80 billion in federal funding to encourage clean energy. A chunk of this has been channeled to state, local and university programs designed to offer assistance to homeowners hoping to make their houses more eco-friendly.

Universities and various nonprofits nationwide can also assist with technical questions about how to source and use green materials and technology. Among the examples: The University of Texas at Brownsville's Go-Green Assistance Center features a model home with demonstrations of such eco-wizardry as low-flow plumbing fixtures and high-tech insulations. In New Orleans, Global Green's Lower Ninth Ward model home showcases all manner of green building techniques and equipment, from low tech (using trellises and vines for shade) to sophisticated (electronic monitoring systems that provide real-time feedback on energy consumption).

Many states and utilities also offer rebate programs to offset the costs of energy-efficient building supplies (windows, insulation), building systems (furnaces, air conditioning) and home appliances (dishwashers, dryers). Depending on your location, benefits could range from a $15 rebate from your energy company for buying an eco-smart power strip, to a $12,000 state tax credit for adding solar power. A handy source for sleuthing out potential rebates is WattzOn -- head to www1.wattzon.com/rebates, then just type in your ZIP code.

Energy audits also go a long way toward helping you prioritize green investments in your home, by identifying the major sources of energy waste. Ask your utility or town hall about free or subsidized audits. Examples of such programs include Green@Home in California's Silicon Valley and New York's Long Island Green Homes program, which seeks to reduce the carbon footprint of participating households by a full 20 to 40 percent.

With all of the above at your disposal, there are fewer reasons than ever for your happy home to not be an environmentally sound one. On the outside, we may choose to paint our houses white, blue, yellow or some other color - but on the inside, every dwelling should be green.

Let's face it: Cleaning house isn't how anyone wants to spend a Saturday. And to make matters worse, cleaning doesn't make you feel like the most eco-friendly citizen on the block, thanks to a veritable minefield of eco-hazards to navigate. Cleaners are chock-full of hazardous chemicals, and when you factor in all the electricity required to run vacuums and machine washers, it's enough to make you want to lie on the couch and let the dust take over.

But don't worry, because we're here to help. And while we can't come to your house and help check items off the chores list, we can help assuage your eco-guilt with some tips for greening up your cleaning.

Start by clearing out your cabinets -- and getting rid of chemicals that can harm both the environment and your health. "There is a pervasive myth that if it's legal to sell something, it must be safe," says Scot Case, director of marketing at the environmental standards and labeling company UL Environment.

Case spent time as a consultant for the Environmental Protection Agency, where he learned what standards, or lack thereof, exist for putting household products on shelves. "No government agency actually tests for the environmental impact of the cleaning products that we use," he explains.

Luckily, there are several independent organizations that do test cleaning products. Case suggests looking for products with a mark from UL Environment, Ecolabel, Greenguard or Green Seal. These companies and nonprofits use evaluations that can extend over 20 pages, determining the environmental and human health impacts of the products they endorse.

Not sure if you should keep old cleaners you've had since before green labeling became more widespread? Jennifer Prediger, who answers green-living questions for the online environmental magazine Grist in its "Ask Umbra" column, has an easy suggestion: "If you need a Ph.D. in biochemistry to know what the chemicals in a product are," she says, "it's probably wise to skip that product."

Also check Environmental Working Group's website, ewg.org, for lists of harmful chemicals to watch for.

When it comes to those electrical cleaning and washing appliances, being lazy and being green may not be mutually exclusive. "If you have an Energy Star efficient washer, and it's fully loaded, and you don't use a pre-rinse cycle, and [you] crank up the efficiency settings," Prediger says, a dishwasher is more environmentally friendly than hand-washing your plates, pots and pans.

The same thing goes for your clothes: Start by getting an Energy Star-labeled washer (energystar.gov can help you with this). And if the weather is nice and you have the space, skip the dryer. "Clotheslines and drying racks are the most efficient and wonderful ways to dry clothes," Prediger says. "Ah, the smell of sun-dried pants in the morning!"

Finally, redefine the way you think about clean. Case remembers the way he used to prove to his mom that he had indeed cleaned the bathroom was by altering the smell. We have long assumed that a lemon/orange/flower scent is a sign that our rooms are free of dirt and germs.

"So many of us are used to 'Oh, the bathroom is clean because now it smells like a pine forest,'" Case says. But that's a myth. "Clean doesn't have a smell."

Fragrances are used by cleaning product manufacturers to mask the scents left behind by toxic chemicals used in many cleansers. Even worse, many of those scents "are actually the most hazardous aspects of those products, both in terms of human health and environmental impacts," Case cautions.

To be a green housecleaner, read the labels, keep it simple and natural, and don't worry -- you can still let your dishwasher do the heavy lifting.

The term "green" is being used to market everything from food to furniture, and it's also becoming an enticement for the biggest purchase most of us will ever make: buying a home. That's why understanding certain environmental criteria before you shop for a new home can help you avoid the increasingly prevalent "green-washing" that misinformed or less scrupulous sellers and agents engage in when listing their properties.

Here are five tips to keep in mind when looking for an eco-conscious home.

Know the industry standards
Rely on two green-living standard-bearers: the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), and Energy Star. The USGBC is known for its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEEDS) program, which guides mainstream homebuilders on sustainable practices. Home shoppers and owners can use the USGBC's Green Home Guide to get free info and tips. Run by the Environmental Protection Agency, Energy Star has certified over 750,000 new homes in the U.S., and its website offers a wealth of information on what to look for when eco-house shopping.
 

Key green-building benchmarks
Make sure the home meets these five green benchmarks:

- Saves energy
- Conserves water
- Provides a healthy indoor environment
- Protects natural resources
- Reduces the impact on the community

To save energy, check to make sure the home is Energy Star certified. Energy Star confirms effective insulation, efficient heating and cooling, and quality windows. To conserve water, many newer homes have under-sink flow restrictors and dual-flush toilets -- be sure to check older homes for these add-ons. To ensure indoor air quality, determine if walls are covered with low volatile-organic-compound (VOC) paints, and whether cabinets are free from formaldehyde-containing materials. To see if a home protects natural resources, check for recycled content in carpets or tile and look for renewable materials such as bamboo or sisal in other flooring options. Lastly, look at the building's impact on the community based on its location. Can you easily run errands without a car? Is there access to alternative transportation? Visit Walk Score to locate key services within walking distance of your potential home.

Work with an eco-expert
"Green realtors" are a growing presence in the real estate world. Online services like EcoBroker can help you seek out an environmentally knowledgeable agent. While interviewing potential brokers, make sure they can recognize a property's environmental benefits, suggest possible eco-friendly renovations and advise you on possible tax credits or rebates for making energy- or water-efficiency upgrades.

Less is more
Nearly two-thirds of households in the U.S. have one or two inhabitants, yet the average new home has four bedrooms and is 25 percent larger than homes built for families 25 years ago. So consider buying a smaller home than you think you'll need. Remember: The smaller the living space, the less energy needed to heat and light it. For guidance, check out Sarah Susanka's "The Not So Big House" book series, based on her "better, not bigger" design principles.

3 R's of green living
As you tour your potential new home, (quietly) mutter this green mantra: "renovate, reuse, recycle." A good green kitchen or bathroom remodel typically nets the best return on your renovating dollar. Take a tour of the lot as well and look for mature deciduous trees, a great natural temperature controller -- in summer, the shade cools the home; in winter, the bare branches let in more light and heat. Oh, and make sure it's convenient to recycle your kitchen wastes into compost, because you'll be growing an abundant garden in that sunny spot in the yard. After all, you can't get much greener than that.

Many common household cleaning and personal care products contain harsh chemical ingredients that can not only be harmful to people and pets, but eventually end up in waterways, posing a threat to wildlife and the environment. Environmentally safe, plant-based (otherwise known as "green") cleaning products are an alternative, but they tend to be more expensive. So, what's a person to do?

A simple, fun and more economical solution is to make your own. "If you want to have a great natural cleaning experience," says Sandy Maine, founder and CEO of SunFeather Natural Soap Company, "the two top ingredients to use are baking soda and vinegar."

Maine, author of the book "Clean, Naturally," says that from those two simple ingredients, most home cleaning needs can be met. "The acidity of the vinegar helps lift dirt and grease," she explains. "The baking soda reduces the surface tension in the water, making it easier for the dirt to get wiped away.

"You can also add tea tree oil or lavender essential oil," she adds, "which are antibacterial and antifungal."

Below are four of the author's favorite formulas for home cleaning and hygiene. The ingredients suggested here are natural and plant-based, and when used properly, do not pose health risks. You will need a stainless steel bowl and funnel for the recipes:

Sandy's simple all-purpose cleaner
Pour 1/4 cup white vinegar and a tablespoon of baking soda into a 16-ounce spray bottle. Fill the rest with warm water, then add 1/4 teaspoon tea tree oil and 1/4 teaspoon lavender oil. Be sure to shake well before using.

Lemon-mint window wash
This recipe will make your windows sparkle. It smells lovely and keeps flies away in the summer. Mix the juice from one fresh lemon, 2 cups water or club soda, 1/2 teaspoon peppermint essential oil and 1 teaspoon cornstarch. Pour into a plastic spray bottle and shake well before using.

Spritz-and-spray toilet bowl cleaner
These essential oils loosen grime and smell fresh and clean, and the baking soda and vinegar help dissolve mineral buildup. Mix 2 tablespoons baking soda, 2 tablespoons vinegar, 1 teaspoon orange essential oil, 1 teaspoon grapefruit essential oil and 2 cups water in a stainless steel bowl or glass measuring cup. The vinegar and baking soda mixture will foam, so let it sit for 10 minutes before pouring it into a spray bottle.

Coriander herbal deodorant stick
1 ounce beeswax
1 ounce cocoa butter
10 drops castor oil
1/2 cup virgin organic olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon coriander essential oil

Mix first four ingredients over a very low flame. Stir until warm, then add lemon juice and coriander oil. Pour into an old deodorant-stick container and allow to harden.

Contrary to popular belief, you can build an eco-friendly house without breaking the bank. Green housing can provide an affordable alternative to standard construction, offering minimal headaches and immediate benefits.

The following examples show the latest in eco-friendly housing trends, as well as some overall recommendations for small projects you can take on yourself:

Hemp House: OK, go ahead -- get all the jokes out of your system now. Sure, hemp gets a bad reputation because it comes from the same plant as marijuana. But in recent years, people have increasingly turned to hemp for clothing, drinks, recycled plastic and biomass fuels. Now you can add houses to that list. A builder in North Carolina recently used a mixture of industrial hemp, lime and water for the walls of a house. When dry, the product takes on a concrete-like consistency that is nontoxic, pest-free and both mildew and flame resistant. Many other builders are currently exploring this option as well. In short, it's a material as useful as it is inadvertently hilarious.

Modular/Prefab/Panel System Homes: Did you love building Lego houses as a kid? Then this grown-up version will be a dream come true. With a modular design, sections of a home are built in a factory and then assembled, like a puzzle, on-site. The factory environment results in more standardized and reliable components than you typically find in construction. The green part comes from eliminating job site waste that ends up in landfills (the factory recycles its waste), as well as reducing vehicle emissions from construction workers and delivery trucks coming back and forth every day to your job site.

The Passive House: While passive houses date thousands of years to the pre-mechanical days of heating and cooling in Greece, the current design iteration comes from around 1990 in Europe. Passive design homes accrue solar energy and contain a lot of insulation, making them virtually airtight. This minimizes heat loss in the winter, as well as heat gain in the summer. How much is minimized? Passive design houses have exhibited up to a 90 percent savings in space heating costs. The density of insulation also results in terrific indoor air quality, which can make all the difference for people with asthma or other breathing ailments.

For those of you who'd rather focus on smaller alterations, consider the following:

Bamboo: Bamboo helps save rain forests, making it a great choice for flooring. Bamboo creates greater yields of raw material per plant, and generates a substantial crop every year. You can also harvest bamboo in a third of the time it takes for traditional wood-flooring materials.
 

Green roofs: Roof gardens fight pollution by absorbing noise and recycling carbon dioxide.

Fuel cells: Fuel cells provide a clean energy-source alternative to other types of renewable energy, such as wind and solar. An electrochemical device used on-site within a home, just one fuel cell can be used to generate power and heat, without the pollutant by-products found in fossil fuels.

Light-emitting diode (LED) lights: Sure, LED lights are pricy, but they are brighter and last longer than compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs, saving you money in the end.

Programmable thermostats: According to the Environmental Protection Agency, programming one's thermostat to turn down the heat at night can save the average family $150 a year.

All in all, there are a wide variety of ways to make your home happy, healthy and aware of its environmental impact. All it takes, ultimately, is a homeowner who won't settle for anything less.