When it comes to creating an eco-friendly shower, most of us focus on a low-flow showerhead to reduce water use. But don’t forget the shower curtain. Cheap plastic shower curtains come from petroleum by-products, and they usually end up in landfills pretty quickly since they just don’t last. And worst of all, they can seriously hurt the indoor air quality in your home by off-gassing some nasty toxins.
EcoTop is an innovative composite material for countertops and work surfaces, made from recycled paper and renewable bamboo. The FSC-certified material was developed by KlipTech’s Joel Klippert, who was the driving force behind PaperStone before moving on to introduce EcoTop.
Many people purify their drinking water, either with built-in under-sink filters or with pitchers in the refrigerator. But few homeowners think about filtering their shower water, even though contaminants can be absorbed through the skin or inhaled in steam. Luckily, a Vitamin C shower filter is extremely effective and easy to use.
In a couple recent articles, we’ve looked at the water- and money-saving potential of dual-flush toilets and low flush designs. But now Texas-based Niagara Conservation has taken water conservation to the next level with a super-efficient toilet that’s ultra quiet, and doesn’t sacrifice any flushing performance.
Habitus Finishes, based in New York City, offers cork mosaic tiles that provide a beautiful and sustainable surface for floor and wall coverings.
Benetti Stone Philosophy, an Italian home design firm, is offering a unique and environmentally friendly option for tiling surfaces. Called “IvoryDream”, the material is durable and attractive, and comes entirely from tropical palm trees.
Preparing tile installations for baths, showers, and countertops is traditionally very time-consuming. And water damage from imperfections in the underlying structure can lead to expensive and wasteful repairs down the road. But fear not – Schluter Kerdi-board is a waterproof, dimensionally stable substrate board that makes perfect installations a breeze.
Cork flooring is, quite simply, a fantastic building material. It’s a quickly renewable and naturally durable surface that offers excellent thermal/acoustic insulation. Now Suberra is offering recycled cork work surfaces that bring the performance of cork up to countertop level.
Produced in Finland, Durat is a polyester based solid surface material. It contains roughly 30% recycled post-industrial waste, and is itself 100% recyclable. Durat is extremely durable and resistant to many common chemicals; any surface scuffs can be removed with an light sanding, and the material can be cut and shaped with standard woodworking tools.
A new toilet may not seem quite as glamourous as other home improvements, but Icera packs some pretty high-tech features into its product line. Icera’s Hyperion flush system delivers even better performance than many standard models, and uses far less water to do it.
