RECYCLING BINS
If you have ever spent any time on my blog you would know that I have a thing for recycling and recycling bins.Β In fact, I love to take pictures of recycling bins and see if people actually used them based on their design, placement, and ease of use.Β I feel that one of the highlights of this Green Show is the number of vendors selling recycling bins, garbage stations, solar-powered recycling stations, and recycling products in general.Β Another thing of interest was that they actually had staffing at some of the show’s recycling stations to educate people on what garbage goes in what bin.Β I found out that my coffee cup belonged in the composting bin, I did not even know that coffee cups could be composted!
DRAINING EXTERIOR SURFACES
Gone are the days of rainwater run-off issues since almost every exterior surface that you could dream of is now being made to drain water.Β Several vendors had running water displays to show how their asphalt, stone, and other exterior surfaces could drain water.Β Some of these displays were several inches thick and they drained water from a garden hose as quickly as the water could be applied!
REPLACEMENT WINDOWS
Since I own aΒ replacement window company in BostonΒ I love to learn about all of the new glass technology as it is invented and rolled out into the marketplace.Β When you have several different glass and window companies showing off their new inventions it keeps the whole industry on their toes with new inventions.Β The triple pane replacement windows that are in the marketplace today perform several times better than windows from even 5 years ago!Β One of the vendors had windows with built-in solar panels, another had a skylight with a built-in water heater!
EXPANDING LIVING SPACE WITHOUT ADDITIONS
Iβm a big fan of expanding your living space without expanding the footprint of your home (building an addition).Β We talked to a vendor of the only green-certified basement system on the market.Β I never knew those basement systems were in the marketplace that actually looked attractive, unlike ones that look like they belong in mobile homes!Β The vendorβs R-17 wall system with zero potential for mold/mildew issues was so impressive that my company might add it to our product line!
Another impressive system was a system that is used on flat roofs to suspend a decking system above the roof that will not harm the roof.Β The system looks like an excellent way for commercial buildings to add outdoor space without ripping up lawns or disturbing the environment. In conclusion, I would suggest this show too and Green Building Professionals and anyone who has any interest in green products, green vendors, or ideas on how to βgreen upβ their home or business.Β Over the next few weeks, I will update this post or create new posts in order to highlight some of the green products that we found interesting.