The EPA has levied its first fine for illegal venting of CFCs or HCFCs into the atmosphere. The prohibition on refrigerant venting, which was part of the 1990 Clean Air Act, took effect on July 1, 1992. The violation occurred when a worker for Global Construction Corp. of Laconia, New Hampshire cut a... Read more

Sirs,

I caution you not to ignore the unique needs of the eco-conscious remodeler. They are not the same as those of a new builder.

Thank you for your efforts.

David Jones

Rammed-earth construction may be the ultimate in local material use. Most of the mass in the 24"-thick walls comes from the house site itself. Combining rammed-earth construction with state-of-the-art energy-efficient appliances and lighting, and some advanced water conservation strategies, builder David Easton and... Read more

Most builders today own one or more portable, battery-powered tools. While properly maintained nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cad) batteries should last for years (averaging over 650 charging cycles), the batteries do eventually wear out, and disposing of them can cause environmental problems.

Portable tool... Read more

Lead poisoning is arguably the most significant health risk faced by remodelers and restoration contractors. According to HUD, 57 million homes in the United States contain at least some lead paint. To work safely in older houses, you have to know whether lead paint is present. Analysis using sophisticated x-ray... Read more

By Al Gore. Penguin Books USA, Inc., New York, NY, 1992. Paperback edition $13.

As an analysis of where we stand and what we can do about our global environmental problems,

Earth in the Balance is an excellent resource. That it was written by the leading Senate environmentalist who is now Vice President of the United States makes... Read more

in Wall Cavities

Dear Editor,

Thanks for your extensive coverage of construction and demolition waste in the Nov./Dec. ’92 issue (

Vol. 1, No. 3), particularly the table “Job-site Waste Suggestions by Material” on pages 7 and 8. However, within the category

Drywall, the following appears:... Read more

By exposing mice to fumes from samples of carpet, scientists at Anderson Laboratories, Inc., have demonstrated significant toxicological effects. In the most severe sample tests, four out of four mice exposed to the fumes died. Of samples purchased at random off-the-shelf, 25% showed some effect, according to Mark Goldman... Read more

On January 19th the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced its proposed regulations for complying with the Copenhagen Amendments to the Montreal Protocol for phase-out of ozone-depleting substances (see EBN,

Vol. 2, No. 1). Under the proposed rules, HCFC-141b (the foaming agent being... Read more

155 Pine St., Amherst, MA 01002; 413/549-3616. $15/year individual, $30/year group.

As a regional CoHousing newsletter, Northeast CoHousing Quarterly (NCQ) has two primary missions. The first is provide a forum in which the many CoHousing groups can network and learn of each other’s progress. The second is to provide general information... Read more

Editor's Note:For more information about concrete in green building projects, we recommend our 43-page special report, "What You Need to Know About Concrete and Green Building." The report is free with a trial membership to BuildingGreen Suite. Learn more.

Cement and concrete are key components of both commercial and residential... Read more

The 1992 Energy Policy Act, signed into law in October, sets maximum water use standards for most plumbing products manufactured after January 1, 1994. Most toilets will be limited to 1.6 gallons per flush (a higher limit of 3.5 gpf will apply to most commercial toilets). Kitchen and... Read more

Andrew St. John, Editor. Boston Society of Architects, 52 Broad St., Boston, MA 02109; 617/951-1433 x221, 617/951-0845 (fax), $25.

The Sourcebook for Sustainable Design is a true labor of love. It is the first attempt we know of at a comprehensive listing of products and materials that are useful,... Read more

CoHousing development—is it sustainable? Kathleen O’Brien thought maybe; I think yes. Yes because CoHousing offers another scale of social organization—an intermediate scale between the single family and the town or municipality—thereby expanding the palette of technologies that can be applied. It does this simply by being a... Read more

NRG Barriers, Inc. of Saco, Maine, has become the first polyisocyanurate foam insulation manufacturer to totally phase out CFC-11 use in a complete product line. As of January 1, 1993, 100% of NRG’s commercial roofing insulation products will be produced with HCFC-141b, according to Technical... Read more

In recent months we've seen increasing signs that timber interests and environmentalists are beginning to talk. After years of finger-pointing and scapegoating, some serious, constructive communication is long overdue. In the words of Tim Lovlien, a voice of reason from Boise Cascade, “anytime you open the forum to discuss the issue, it’s... Read more

In what is described as a major policy change, the Western Wood Products Association (WWPA) is launching a campaign to emphasize the environmental benefits of wood and appeal to growing public awareness about the environment. “We want the [building] industry to know that we’re concerned about the... Read more