local questions
a blog to ask
Household Waste
- Does Morgantown have curbside recycling? Mark L.
- Yes, but only within the city limits through Browning-Ferris Industries (BFI). For complete information on the how, what and when of city curbside recycling view the City of Morgantown's recycling section. The City of Westover also has curbside recycling. For more information call 296-6860. For those of us who live outside city limits you have to recycle the old-fashioned way through the Monongalia County Solid Waste Authority's drop-off sites or at the Community Recycling Center on River Road on the Westover side of the Mon River. Visit their website for locations and full details.
Yard and Exterior
- What eco-friendly options do I have in resealing my wood decking? Carl I.
- Though we've never used this specific product ourselves, we have used another product from Eco Safety Products, LLC with very good results. Their products are bio-based, mostly soybean I believe, and
certified. A quick call to their toll-free number and I was directed to three products for staining and sealing exterior wood (Eco-Tuff non-slip wood coatings, Acri-Soy™ Sealer, and TimberSoy Wood Stain). You can order online or through approved retailers, the closest of which are in Pittsburgh, PA and Kensington, MD according to their dealer website.
- Though we've never used this specific product ourselves, we have used another product from Eco Safety Products, LLC with very good results. Their products are bio-based, mostly soybean I believe, and
- What is a good environmental siding for my home? Adam L.
- Probably the best, locally attainable, eco-friendly siding in our area is Hardie board siding made by James Hardie. It's made from cement and low-toxicity wood fiber (recycled) and is a very durable product requiring less maintenance. You can buy Hardie board at 84 Lumber or Home Warehouse Inc.
- What type of roofing should I consider for my home? Adrea L.
- The greenest, most energy-efficient roof to "create" is literally a greenroof which is a vegetated roof cover, with growing plants taking the place of bare membrane, gravel ballast, shingles or tiles. You can find out about this option at greenroofs.com.
- According to the Department of Energy's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy website, "Energy-efficient roof technologies are fairly straightforward. Since lighter tiles absorb less heat than darker tiles, roofing manufacturers developed lighter colored roof materials that incorporate a new generation of cooler shingles and tiles.
"Light-colored roofs generally are recommended in hot and humid climates. These types of roofs can last 30-40 years compared to the average 15-year life of asphalt shingle roofs. A lower temperature not only improves the durability and lifespan of the roof, it also reduces the air-conditioning loads of the building.
"Lighter-colored roofs are slightly more expensive than standard roofing, however, the cost differential is minimal: for a 1,000-square-foot roof, the cost premium for cooler shingles is less than $25. If the lighter tiles modestly raise the reflectivity of the roof, the additional investment will pay for itself in one summer.
"Some buildings integrate solar photovoltaic systems into the roof or in south-facing exterior walls. These building-integrated photovoltaics can use a number of solar technologies, and even use solar shingles, which look just like common roof shingles.
"ENERGY STAR products are more efficient than standard products, saving energy and money. To receive an ENERGY STAR label, a roof product must be reflective and must lower the roof's surface temperature to decrease the amount of heat transferred into a building's interior." Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy - One good option for eco-friendly roofing would be metal, mostly made of recycled steel which is very durable.
"More than 75% of the roofing work in the United States is reroofing, and roofing is the second-largest contributor to solid waste generation in the United States." U.S. DOE EERE program website
Flooring
- Where can I find Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) wood flooring?
- We've looked and looked for
wood in our area and have given up the ghost on that one. Depending on your project you can get unfinished wood that hasn't been covered with s in its stain and sealants or head out of state.
- We've looked and looked for
Home Interior
- Where can I find zero
primer and paint? Aggie G.- Zero VOC or zVOC paint and primer is a tale of two paint products. zVOC or low VOC paint can be found at most paint stores in town. We've bought and been pleased with zVOC paint from Lowe's (
certified Olympic Premium Interior Latex) and Sherwin-Williams. As with most eco-products in our area, be sure to specify zVOC because most store attendants don't know the product or why you'd buy it. The type of response we normally get when being offered the wrong product is, "this is what most people buy and they're very happy with it." zVOC primer is a whole other issue. We have yet to find it in our area. We have found and used low VOC primer at Sherwin-Williams but even after being covered with zVOC paint we still get the slight smell of the VOCs being sed months later. Our suggested option is to order zVOC primer online at: Eco Safety Products, LLC. We bought and recommend certified American Pride Non-Toxic Paint Primer.
- Zero VOC or zVOC paint and primer is a tale of two paint products. zVOC or low VOC paint can be found at most paint stores in town. We've bought and been pleased with zVOC paint from Lowe's (