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Green Plug Slays Vampires

Green Plug Slays Vampires published on

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My husband goes around unplugging electronics that are not in use. It’s a good habit, but I must admit, I’m too lazy to do it all the time. Fact is, leaving computers, phones and chargers plugged in wastes energy. Lots of it.

The Green Plug may be the key to slaying the energy sucking vampires in our household electronics. It’s a universal energy efficient power hub for electronic devices. Go to their website for all the boring technical stuff.

Unfortunately, compatible electronics probably won’t be hitting the shelves until 2009. Even then, you’re not going to go out and buy a whole new inventory of products. Not to worry. For those without patience, design kits are currently available.

Via Treehugger

Paint Reviews and A Blue Living Room

Paint Reviews and A Blue Living Room published on 4 Comments on Paint Reviews and A Blue Living Room

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It’s finally happening. I’m painting my living room! At least one small corner of the living room where the hubby will install our kitchenette next week (or the following week, or the one after that). Thanks to all of you who helped with my color decision. Here’s how it’s turning out:

I went with blue walls and white wainscoting instead of my initial desire to have the reverse. Instead of a pale blue, I went with something more vibrant. I’m not the most subtle person in the world, so why should my walls be? I was inspired by a “House of the Day” on Brownstoner that I couldn’t get out of my mind. They painted nearly every room blue! But I could only find one photo left on the internet. When the husband walked in and saw the color he asked if we had a boy.

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My living room. Not.

Originally, I really wanted to make the detail in the wainscoting pop with a glaze or a second color. After a few tests, I decided I liked a clean look better after all. I’m stripping 60 some odd years of paint off, but I still don’t have the patience for perfection and by adding a second color, I only accentuated the flaws. So wainscoting is the Behr Swiss Coffee from Home Depot. No patience to wait for color mixing either. Right off the shelf!

Here’s where I need more HELP. Ok, so the ceiling is going to be white. What color should I do the plaster molding? I don’t want all white, but when I tested other colors, I wasn’t grooving to any of them. I did the corbels in a darker blue, with some metallics, but I forgot to take a picture. Don’t know if I’m going to keep that anyway as I think I’d like to go with more of an accent color. Here’s some more info to help you help me: We have a red couch. Ok, what color?? I want glitz!

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About the paint:

I went with “Midwest Spring” from Home Depot’s No VOC Fresh Aire Choice. The color looks much more intense on the wall than on the paint chip, but my motto is “Once I start, I’m not repainting.” The first coat looked very patchy and I thought “Oh crap, this is worse than Ralph Lauren paint.” But the second coat filled in nicely and I got away with 2 coats in that dark corner. I liked the paint, but not enough to spend the $10 extra per gallon to use it for everything. Sorry, Mother Nature, my pockets aren’t deep enough to save your ass on my own.

For the ceiling, I spent an extra $3 for the gimmicky “goes on pink, dries white” paint. First time I used that. It does what it says and it’s a cool idea for anyone who hates straining their neck to paint the ceiling as much as I do. Your neck will still hurt, but at least you won’t have to do five coats to cover the spots you missed.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t the most productive weekend. Time spent thinking about it, prepping, buying paint and supplies: 3/4 of the weekend. Time spent actually painting: maybe an hour or two. And I wonder why I only got one corner done.

Cat Genie: I’ll Take Six Please!

Cat Genie: I’ll Take Six Please! published on

I’m a total sucker for stupid new pet products that I use for about a week. I might have to try the Cat Genie. For the low, low price of 300 bucks, I can own a litter box that flushes! But wait! There’s more. It cleans itself too! Do you know how much time I spend changing litter? Since I have 5 boxes in the house for 6 cats who pee on the floor anyway, does that mean I need 6 Genies? Sooo, what do you think? Dumb or ingenious idea?

Via Treehugger

Link if you can’t view video here.

Massage Robot: Every Home Should Have One

Massage Robot: Every Home Should Have One published on

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My husband purposely gives me bad massages when I beg him for one just so I can beg him to stop. Oh, I do the same to him, so kudos to him for picking up on my ingenious idea.

Sometimes I wonder “What’s a person gotta do to get a good massage around here?” My BFF is a massage therapist, but she’s not around at the drop of a hat.

So I think I need the Auto Healther Reiz DZ-270 from Dainichi. It can sit in the center of my living room since we never invite people over. Cost? 8500€. That’s like $2 million these days.

The thing is, I’m willing to wait a few months. FYI, my birthday is in August.

Via Top Blog Posts

Zero VOC Paint at Home Depot?

Zero VOC Paint at Home Depot? published on 4 Comments on Zero VOC Paint at Home Depot?

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You know the green building movement has taken off when Home Depot starts selling no VOC paints. Fresh Aire Choice is the latest zero VOC paint to hit the market and it’s being sold exclusively through that orange big box store.

Now I don’t know my paint science, but the company claims that chemicals are put back into other paints once the color is added. Fresh Aire technology uses a pre-measured ColorFresh™ colorant pouch which dissolves into the paint base without expelling any chemical odor.

The paint comes in 65 colors and is Green Guard certified.

Via Leed Pro

Washing Machine N Toilet Combo

Washing Machine N Toilet Combo published on

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WashUp is merely a concept at the moment. Sevin Coskun of Turkey entered the design into the Greener Gadgets Competition this year.

The idea is to store wasted water from the laundry in the flush tank to be reused later. Also a great solution for small apartments.

Just don’t forget to lower the lid before unloading clothes!

Via Trendhunter

Introducing The Odorless Toilet

Introducing The Odorless Toilet published on 2 Comments on Introducing The Odorless Toilet

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A venting toilet that doesn’t stink. Why didn’t they think of this years ago?

It seems simple enough. Instead of (or as well as) having an exhaust fan in your ceiling, the dual purpose fan pulls exhaust directly from the bowl. It also pull humidity out of the bathroom.

As if that wasn’t enough to get anyone whose sh*t stinks on board, the Ventex is also a water saving system.

Starts at $519 for the complete system. Think about how much you’ll be saving on matches, candles and deodorizers.

Via Bobby V

Cheap N’ Tasteful Window Blinds

Cheap N’ Tasteful Window Blinds published on 1 Comment on Cheap N’ Tasteful Window Blinds

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My two favorite places for inexpensive home decor are my top suggestions for window treatments as well. Surprise. Surprise.

Pearl River is the easy choice. You don’t have to leave the city. The carry fabric, wood and synthetic paper blinds, all very fashionable and cheap. I’d guess they are made in China (well, it IS a Chinese department store) and not very green, but since not everyone can afford to have a conscience, this will have to do for now.

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Brown thread bamboo starts at $16.50.

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Divinity Roman starting at $19.50

My husband thinks Ikea pushes a bunch of cheap junk, but I don’t care…I love it! Everything is so colorful and clean. Bright and shiny. And affordable! If you can hang on until the summer, you won’t have to schlepp to NJ or LI. Ikea, Red Hook (Brooklyn, not upstate) has already started recruiting staff. Hmm, I wonder what employee discounts are like?

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Ikea Roman: $6.99 – $14.99

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Melina starts at $19.99

DIY: More Wood Stripping Tips

DIY: More Wood Stripping Tips published on

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This is a follow up to last week’s wood stripping post. One reader is having a hard time with the SPR and asked for some tips. As I responded in the comments, it’s not perfect, but it is, IMHO, the fastest thing out there.

The reader commented that their SPR only heats up the middle section. I thought it may be possible that this is a faulty unit or the power source isn’t strong enough. The SPR should be used on a 20 amp circuit with a heavy duty extension cord. Anything less may cause the tool to work inefficiently or trip your circuit breaker.Continue reading DIY: More Wood Stripping Tips

AFM Safecoat

AFM Safecoat published on 1 Comment on AFM Safecoat

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One of the most frustrating things about living in someone else’s home is the utter lack of control over my environment. If my in-laws were putting the house up for sale today, the listing would have to read: “needs TLC”. Paint chips off of every painted surface, the kitchen cabinets are splintered, the carpets are threadbare; the windows don’t entirely keep the wind out. Not a single door in the house closes properly.

All these issues wouldn’t be such a big deal if Andrew and I weren’t living here with two infants. But I have to wonder what growing up in these conditions is doing to the health of these tiny, developing humans. How many times can I shoo them away from dipping their curious fingers into the cracks in the plaster walls and from lifting up the linoleum from the corners of the room where it curls up from the floor before I go crazy. I can’t prevent them from crawling all over the ancient carpet, so I have to worry about what they are breathing in, and which chemicals they are being exposed to. To minimize their exposure to chemical fumes, we finally convinced my father-in-law (who lives by the motto that if blue painter’s tape can’t fix, it nothing can) to let us repaint the nursery with zero VOC paint.

VOCs or volatile organic compounds is the stuff that you smell when wet paint is drying, or “off-gassing”. Breathing in VOCs exposes the body to a host of nasty chemicals. And while I’m no expert, I do know that paint without VOCs is recommended for pregnant women and in families with infants. It can’t hurt to eliminate VOCs when painting in a house with pets or with individuals with sensitivities either.

We used AFM zero VOC to paint the baseboards and doors; covering up any lead-bearing paint underneath. Sure enough, there was no detectable odor.

The company is over 25 years old and provides primers, paints in many finishes and stains. Check out their Ayurveda Essence color selection. 108 colors that are skewed energetically. It’s a “healing” collection with each palete meant to be stimulating, calming, uplifting, etc.

AFM Safecoat is sold at Green Depot and Bettencourt in Brooklyn or a dealer near you. Before you run out to buy it for your entire house, FYI: It costs about $38 per gallon.

Now, if only we could replace that relic of a living room carpet….

Author: Brett

Stripping Paint: Heat Gun,SPR or Chemicals?

Stripping Paint: Heat Gun,SPR or Chemicals? published on 3 Comments on Stripping Paint: Heat Gun,SPR or Chemicals?

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Answer: Paint stripping usually requires all of the above. The Silent Paint Remover to finish large areas, the heat gun for detail the and chemicals to clean it up.

But let’s take a closer look. Shall we?

See my original Silent Paint Remover (aka Infrared Paint Remover) post here. I’ve only used it on wood, but the company says it can be used on metal, marble, plaster and concrete. BUT, you should do a test on the area first. The SPR cuts the stripping time in half. Maybe even more. It goes through all of the layers in one shot and doesn’t take too much time before the paint starts to bubble. The tool is a bit cumbersome and too large for corners or small areas.

Which is why you’ll need a heat gun. Same process. You’re heating the paint until it bubbles and lifts off the surface. Scrape away and viola! So why can’t you do the entire job with a heat gun? It is SLOW! Takes much longer to heat than the SPR and covers a smaller area.

It’s possible to get away without using chemicals, but there’s nothing like that toxic stuff to clean it up. Rock Miracle is my harsh chemical of choice. Nothing green about this! On the other hand, since it works best, you’ll be using alot less of it than gentle strippers. Tip for stripping a flat surface such as a door: If you don’t own a heating tool, put a very thick coat of Rock Miracle on the horizontal surface and let sit for about 4 hours. Must be horizontal and must be thick or it will dry out. This will take off all layers. Ordinarily, you apply a thinner coat and let it sit for about 20 minutes and that only gets off a layer at a time.

Peel Away comes in several “flavors”. I use this for plaster as it’s gentle enough. I find it best to cover overnight. It will take off several layers at a time.

You must always neutralize after using chemicals or the paint/poly will peel. What you use will depend on the surface you’re working on. Chemicals are much messier than heating tools. And no matter what, don’t forget to clean up well and dispose of the lead paint properly.

The tools are a great expense up front. The SPR is about $400. However, it’s worth it if you’re going to be doing alot of stripping. I can’t tell you how much I spent on chemicals before discovering the SPR.

And don’t forget….SAFETY, SAFETY, SAFETY!

Howard Hall’s Shop Green Fundraiser

Howard Hall’s Shop Green Fundraiser published on

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I received an email from my buddies at Howard Hall Farm stating that they have joined forces with Let’s Go Green for a fund raising extravaganza. Let’s Go Green will donate 25% of every online purchase to the restoration project. Just don’t forget to specify Howard Hall at check out!

Howard Hall Farm is a 1780’s stone structure in Athens, NY which acts as a vehicle for educating people in historic preservation and green restoration techniques.

Let’s Go Green sells everything from cleaners to lightbulbs to water conservation products. All at pretty good prices!

Past Post on Howard Hall Farm

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