Got questions about how to go green? Local experts are available to help! Submit your question by filling out the form below or by posting a comment at our “Ask an Expert” Forum, and we’ll find someone in the know. Visit the “Ask an Expert” Forum to see questions others have asked, along with expert answers. Scroll down on this page to see a couple examples. xx
10.20.07
Q: I visited your website but am still quite clueless about how to incorporate green ideas into our new home we are building. We’ve got a foundation but almost everything is on the table. Can you help me find out about insulation, flooring, paints, etc? Thanks - Jamie, Orleans
A: As a starting point, scroll down on this page to view answers to a similar question asked by someone else. Hopefully your foundation has the right orientation - and your architect/builder knows your “green goals”! Two upcoming “CIGoGreen” workshops could be really helpful in informing your choices and giving you an opportunity to question experts - one is in Wellfleet on 10/31 and the second in Waquoit on 11/3. Click on those dates in the Calendar at right for more information.
Consider a visit to two Cape-based stores that specialize in green products - G Green Design Center at Mashpee Commons and NE Green in P-town - see listings at http://www.cigogreen.org/browse-by-category/. For looking up specific product options, visit the resources listed at http://www.cigogreen.org/eco-labeling-guide/. Good luck - and please keep us posted.
- Chris Powicki, WEEinfo Services
09.20.07
Q: What is the most responsible way to dispose of dog poop? I have a big dog and have been bringing her waste to the dump. There has to be a better way. Thanks - Liz
A: Disposing of dog waste can be a challenge in more ways than volume alone. It may contain cryptosporidium, salmonella, and campylobacter bacteria; round, hook, and tape worms; and a number of other pathogens and parasites. For more information check the website maintained by the U.S. Center for Disease Control.
All pet waste can be flushed down the toilet without kitty litter or other material. Bacteria in your septic system or a public sewer system will break down the solids (kitty litter will not break down, thereby reducing the available space in the tank and possibly clogging pipes). Pet waste can be buried in a deep hole in the yard if lime is added regularly to help speed breakdown. Cover the hole to keep other animals and children from exploring.
Pet waste should not be placed in your home compost. It can be placed in a sealed plastic bag and thrown out with household trash. Keep it in a separate covered container to confine the odor. Whatever option you choose is preferable than the one chosen by many: Please don’t leave it on the ground!
- Marilyn B. Lopes, Extension Educator, Water Quality, Cape Cod Cooperative Extension
09.06.07
Q: I’m a homeowner in Yarmouth Port, and I live on the power lines. The access road runs through my property. I got a notice today that NStar has contracted with Vegetation Control Service, Inc., to manage the vegetation on the right of way. Besides mechanical mowing, they are going to use the herbicides Accord, Krenite, Escort and Arsenal. They say that they are safe but I wonder. I live on top of a hill, and it is usually windy. I have a large, fenced-in backyard abutting the right of way. I also have a German Shepherd with auto immune disease who makes it her mission to smell everything within her reach. Should I worry about these pesticides, and do I have any legal recourse? Please advise. - L.A. (PS: I love your site!!!)
A: “Vegetation management” on rights of way (ROW) is a necessary evil to maintain reliable electrical service, and it can be an oxymoron: This habitat corridor might well be turned into a moonscape (but things will grow back). I don’t think you have any legal means of preventing ROW maintenance, but you might take three steps to try and minimize exposure to potentially hazardous chemicals.
First, locate the materials safety data sheet (MSDS) for each herbicide to know what you are up against (do a Google search, e.g., MSDS + Accord). Second, contact NStar and/or its vendor to let them know of your general concerns and any specific concerns associated with individual chemicals, to request that they notify you when they will be working in your neighborhood, and to request that they not employ herbicides along your property line due to chemical sensitivities. Third, when they are working nearby and applying herbicides, keep your dog inside.Thanks for your question - and compliment!
- Chris Powicki, WEEinfo Services
08.26.07
Q: We are building a new single-family home. How can we “Go Green” - water conservation, electrical, heating, fuel, air conditioning, plumbing, insulation, windows and doors? - W.E.P.
A#1: When planning a new home, the best thing to do is to hire an architect with experience in green building, as decisions at the front end of the design process are the most critical ones. Siting, sizing, etc., will go a long way toward determining your house’s overall environmental footprint, and they will influence downstream decisions relating to the building envelope and to energy/water resource requirements and systems.
If you’ve already hired an architect/builder lacking experience in this area, you should ensure that he/she knows that going green is a priority for you. There is a wealth of information available on green design and construction and on the design, specification, and use of energy/water systems that make sense from environmental and economic perspectives. Local architects and consultants are available to help - some are listed in the Green Pages. Also, you might consider participating in the “Green Homes” tour on October 6; this will give you an opportunity to see what others have done. Click here for information on homes and buildings that have been featured in previous years, and contact Self-Reliance at 508.563.6633 for plans on this year’s event.
- Chris Powicki, WEEinfo
A#2: Firstly, it is very important to incorporate green ideas early on in the design process. One factor that is critical is siting your home. Passive solar gain (heating from south facing windows) can go a long way toward keeping your home warm (and light-filled) in the winter. Also, south-facing roof is essential if you are planning on using any solar panels that create electricity or solar thermal panels that create warm water for domestic hot water and/or home heating via radiant flooring. Here are some other general ideas for the categories you mentioned:
Water conservation: Rain barrels to collect rainwater for irrigation; ultralow flow plumbing fixtures (toilets and showerheads especially); water-efficient washing machine (typically front-loading); drought-tolerant plants and grass for landscaping so that little water is required for the lawn.
Electricity: Install PV panels or a wind turbine to make electricity; utilize Energy Star appliances and lighting; use motion detectors for lighting so it can be turned off automatically.
Heating: Radiant heating from solar thermal panels; high-efficiency furnace; high-efficiency fireplace or stove for heating in winter; if no natural gas is available consider using biodiesel as a home heating oil (available via Self-Reliance oil coop).
Air conditioning: AC is typically very energy-intensive, but if you do it you should consider a forced hot air heating system with ducts because the ducts can be used by the AC in the summer. Again, consider using the most efficient furnace possible.
Plumbing: As mentioned above for water conservation, consider low-flow toilets (dual flush are available) and low-flow shower heads that will be more efficient with water use. Make sure all hot water pipes in unconditioned basement are well insulated. Consider a solar thermal domestic hot water system (typically 2-4 solar panels on roof with larger hot water storage tank in basement) that can provide most of a typical household’s hot water in the summer months on Cape Cod.
Insulation: This is probably the most important category in terms of payback and in creating an energy-efficient house. If you have a builder already, insist that they follow Energy Star for Home technical guidelines. In general, I recommend a layer of continuous insulation (typically rigid) in addition to the insulation in bays between studs. This prevents thermal breaks in the envelope that occur at each stud since heat loss is occurring there (and not where the batt insulation is). It is essential that your insulation be continuous and sealed. For complicated roofs, sprayed-in foam insulation works very well.
Windows and doors: I recommend that clients use windows and doors with 2 layers of high-performance low-e glass with argon between the glass. The u-value should be 0.35 or less. There are tax breaks and rebates available for these typically. Most window manufactures (Andersen, Marvin, Pella) have windows that meet there requirements. Be aware that the building code is changing on Oct. 1 07, and there are significant changes in window requirements due to requirements for storm windows.
-Alison Alessi, LEED AP, A+E Architects
