  
HOME & GARDEN
Green building and natural gardening is the talk of the town, especially this town. Stroll through the Home & Garden Pavilion at the Better Living Show to see just how many options there are for you to go green and improve the energy efficiency, aesthetics and functionality of your home in a manner that is friendly to your family and the environment.
Beautiful feature gardens are sure to inspire the green thumb enthusiasts with new approaches for your outdoor space. From the very practical bioswale rain garden to the edible approach of permaculture and the dreamy massage garden, these landscapes show off the range of sustainable gardening.
Think you've seen it all when it comes to greener homes and gardens? Look to the sky when you come to the Better Living Home Garden & Lifestyle Show at the Portland Expo Center and find the most unique tree house on the planet! This festival has it all.
Resources:
What Constitutes a Green Building Product?
Green Gardening - A quick primer
Building Codes Division Takes Action to Support Water Conservation
July 2008
Salem — The Department of Consumer and Business Services’ Building Codes Division (BCD) has taken the first of many steps to make it easier for Oregonians to conserve water.
After input from the plumbing industry, the division approved two new methods that allow homeowners to harvest rainwater and reuse wastewater. The first method involves reusing certain wastewater in homes when the owner installs water conservation systems. The water conservation systems treat water drained from bathtubs, showers, bathroom sinks, washing machines, and laundry tubs, and then store the water for use in flushing toilets.
The second method gives both homes and commercial buildings the ability to collect rainwater from roofs to be used for gardens, flushing toilets, washing clothes, and in heating and air conditioning units.
Oregon joins a small group of states, including California, Washington, Ohio, Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, and Hawaii, that are working toward allowing builders and homeowners to install wastewater conservation systems.
The approval of these methods applies in every Oregon city and county because Oregon has a statewide building codes system. “With these two rulings, Oregon is making a large contribution to the advancement of a sustainable environment for its citizens,” said Ken Carlson, Oregon Plumbing Board chairman.
Source: Portland Online
 
  
kitchen photo credit: Neil Kelly
|
