Two Questions About Green From A Sceptic.

paintr56

If one of the pluses is that green is renewable why is the price higher? Shouldn't it be lower to produce a renewable resource then to use a diminishing resource? Hemp grows like a weed, is much lighter to ship then portland cement why is the price higher?

Do you really use up water when you use it in your house? Isn't water constantly recycled by the earth? Water comes in the house gets used goes down the drain ends up back in the water table, river or lake. Then starts the cycle all over.

I am not saying green is bad. I just have questions. A lot of the green info later is shown to be wrong.

Jim Bunton

Norrrrrrrrrrrrm

Much of the green building is more expensive because the demand is not as huge. So they don't mass produce like some other componies. It's kind of like HD or Lowes against a local hardware store. The small guy has to pay bills too with a higher price. When there will be more competition for green I believe the price will drop quite a bit.
As far as water, obviously it's more than taking a leak, it goes to the pond then it goes to tap!!!
There is alot of treatment for water and much of it can't be filtered when things like drano and other harsh chemicals are introduced, not to mention harsh chemicals from the raods and any power plants the sends chemicals in the air. It is then dumped into the streams and build of polluted water begins. Also, most of the water we use and drink comes from aquifers very deep in the ground. All the water is filtered though rockbeds which can take up to 100 years to penetrate(that' why it tastes soooo good). The problem there is we are using the water way faster than it can repleninsh itself and are tapping out the aquifers. I know it sounds funny but we are actually running out of usable fresh water for human needs. The more we pollute the water the harder and harder it is to clean and drink. I know some of you would like to bash me on this but this is the truth and we all need to think about all the actions we take because it affects everyone.

skylands

Being sceptical is good especially in this industry.

I believe green building is the way to go and that's coming from a builder thats seen (and been caught up in)

(forgive my spelling)
Polybutelyne
aluminum wire
FRT plywood
aspenite
homosote
cardboard sheathing
calked corners instead of spackle
ungaline roofing
roofing staples
pressure treated foundations
Ryobi radial saw.
....and you older guys (like me) can add to the list.

The point is that our industry is changing all the time and we have to be very carefull of what products and ideas are tossed at us. When green building becomes commonplace with us there will be snake oil salesmen making claims to yet better products within the system.

woodmagman

Norrrrrm,, Your right on the money,........................it affects everyone,

placemaker

As a contractor i try to recycle, use new products, and try to be conservative and green.

Then i look at my engineered drawings In particular such things like a 20 x 24 1 story garage on a fairly flat spot ,that has 16 14' deep concrete piers and masses of rebar. and I think of all the wasted : gravel and sand, labor ,steel, and all the transportion costs and pollution.

A UBC standard monoltihic slab would use an 8th of the resources and surely hold together.

The house foundation is even further over built. Does any one else consider this over engineering NON- Green?

I agree engineering is important especially here in California. Yet i feel engineers (and mine is best in regards to this that i have found) some how figures if it is built 50 times stronger than required that he will have surely coverd his ass.

blackrott

Green ussually costs more, so we created a factory to buy products in bulk so apples to apples it cost about the same now. All our home are 14 LEEDS points out the door. though most people are fake green. so they still want granite counters and other non green products. This fake green is the market. even though the home come with 50% savings on the utility bill and our build time is 60 days.

Milhaus

blackrott - you created a factory to buy products? Please explain! I am having a heck of a time finding any 'green' products available around here. The Depot doesn't even sell low VOC paints yet.