http://www.househacker.com/ househacker/tags/environment ecologically sound wood flooring products, including many bamboo flooring choices, as well as the beautifully rich Brazilian cherry.

If you're in the market for some wood flooring and are thinking about some of the environmentally friendly flooring options available these days, be warned; the company describes why some forestry protection certifications aren't always what they're cracked up to be on this page. EcoTimber is certified by the Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) and says this about the weight of that body's approval:

The only forest certification system that enjoys the support of environmental groups worldwide is that of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), which is independent, non-profit, and has a mechanism for tracking wood from the forest floor to the consumer. The U.S. Green Building Council only recognizes FSC certification as evidence of the sustainability of a non-recycled wood product. If you want verification that the wood you are purchasing came from a truly well-managed forest, demand FSC-certified material, and demand proper documentation.

EcoTimber's bamboo offerings are also ecologically friendly:

EcoTimber bamboo flooring is made from bamboo plantations -- not from wild habitats. Bamboo is a highly renewable resource, harvestable only four to six years after being planted. Its low moisture absorption properties make it ideal for humid climates and applications where moisture might pose a challenge for other types of flooring.

Website: EcoTimber.com

Related entry Environmentally Friendly Sustainable Flooring Options. ]]> http://www.househacker.com/permanent/Environmentally-Friendly-Bamboo-Flooring GelFireplaces.com carries a few really nice flueless fireplaces that are fuelled by a clean burning alcohol gel, resulting in a smoke-free fire.

From the site:

Gel Fireplaces holds three fuel cans, each container burning approximately three hours and, because there is no flue, all the heat is projected into the room. ]]> http://www.househacker.com/permanent/Alcohol-Gel-Fuelled-Flueless-Fireplaces EcoSmart produces these unique, flueless fireplaces that can be installed essentially anywhere, as they do not require any sort of permanent fixture or fitting. The company makes many different 'shells' that house the actual burner unit which operates using a green fuel. From the site:

The EcoSmart Fire is fuelled by a renewable energy source called Denatured Ethanol. Ethanol is an absolute alcohol, produced by the fermentation of sugars originating from agricultural and forestry products; mainly sugarcane, potatoes, bananas, beetroot and recently from cereals such as wheat.

What are EcoSmart Fires? The EcoSmart Fire is a new, innovative style of open fireplace. It is environmentally friendly, aesthetically appealing, efficient and cost effective. The modular design means it is versatile enough to fit into a wide range of architectural environments. Whether installed in a loft, studio, apartment, terrace house or freestanding home, the EcoSmart Fire provides the 'primal' warmth and comfort of fire while enhancing the contemporary aesthetics of today's living environments. In essence, it is designed to be an inspiring, mobile 'piece of furniture'.

And yes, according to the FAQ, the fireplaces do indeed produce heat (about 13000BTU's worth).]]> http://www.househacker.com/permanent/Beautiful-Environmentally-Friendly-Flueless-Fireplaces-by-EcoSmart Two minutes in the spindryer will save you thirty minutes in the clothes dryer!

So says the website of Spin-X, the clothes drying centrifuge. You may have seen similar devices at your local public swimming pool, allowing swimmers to quickly dry their swim suits before placing them in their gym bags. The Spin-X attempts to bring that same centrifugal power into the home. The site has a list of reasons to use the Spin-X, including this one addressing the important energy usage question:

[The device] Will remove one quart of water from clothing using only 15 seconds worth of clothes dryer electricity.

At $450, the device would take a while to pay for itself, but the energy (and therefore cost) savings combined with quicker dry times and environmental benefits would appeal to many. Could this device not, theoretically, be constructed to harness human foot power instead of electricity, or perhaps a version that would allow you to use electricity or muscle power, at one's discretion? ]]> http://www.househacker.com/permanent/Save-Energy-with-the-SpinX-Clothes-Drying-Centrifuge ConsciousFlooring.com offers sustainable flooring products manufactured using materials such as bamboo, cork, natural linoleum, and wood that is:

sustainably-harvested, recycled, non-toxic, and made from rapidly renewable materials.

And furthermore:

At Conscious Flooring we strive to be as energy efficient as possible. By shipping direct to your job site we eliminate the need for the volumes of unnecessary energy that goes into shipping and warehousing showroom products. Our offices utilize full spectrum compact fluorescent lighting, wind generated website hosting, methane and other renewable energies, and to top it all off we are even [travelling] on biodiesel! In addition, we pride ourselves on being an almost paperless company storing most of our data on computers, the little paper we do use is usually 100% recycled.

See also:

GreenFloors.com

SustainableFlooring.com

GreenHomeGuide : Flooring
]]> http://www.househacker.com/permanent/Environmentally-Friendly-Sustainable-Flooring-Options candle wax and stuffed the mixture in an old cigar tube to create a one of a kind product - Java Log. The Java Log burns cleaner and brighter than other manufactured logs, is easier on the environment, smells nice, manages to leave less soot buildup in the chimney, and, according to the FAQ, "has about 25% more energy than wood and triple the flame per unit of energy."]]> http://www.househacker.com/permanent/Java-Log-is-Recycled-Coffee-Grounds eco-furniture.com. It's great to see so many green products that don't look fringe or 'hempy' hitting the marketplace. The more normal environmentally friendly products appear to consumers, the more market penetration they will achieve. It can only help matters that such striking choices like these exist for today's consumer.

]]> http://www.househacker.com/permanent/Gorgeous-Environmentally-Friendly-Furniture inside the fridge. It remains to be seen just how many people will shell out the $399US for the luxury of rotting food odourlessly indoors, mind you. Russ Cohn, the unit's inventor and MIT grad, has high hopes for the device, according to this article at PR News Now where Cohn talks about eliminating 50% of the world's waste.]]> http://www.househacker.com/permanent/Naturemill-Indoor-Food-Composter