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

from NAHB

With the upcoming release of its booklet

What Remodelers Need to Know and Do About Lead, the Remodelers Council of the National Association of Home Builders is providing a valuable service. The booklet, to judge by a late draft, will be effective in educating builders and remodelers about the dangers... Read more

On November 25th, international delegates in Copenhagen, Denmark, completed negotiations on a second major revision to the Montreal Protocol for the phaseout of ozone-depleting substances. Under the Copenhagen Amendments, the schedule for eliminating CFCs is moved up to January 1, 1996, four years ahead of the schedule... Read more

Lumber from 100% recycled plastic has been around for several years now. Due to the large number of companies making recycled plastic lumber (currently about 22 in the U.S.), and the range of processes and feedstocks used, product quality varies greatly. ARW Polywood comes strongly recommended by contractors who’ve used it.

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Representatives of the timber industry and environmental groups are hopeful that a Pacific Northwest timber summit, promised by Clinton during his campaign, will settle issues that have long polarized loggers and environmentalists in efforts to protect jobs and old-growth forests. The summit is expected in March or April.

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While expanded polystyrene (EPS) is the only type of rigid foam insulation that is currently made with neither CFCs nor HCFCs, it has one environmental drawback: pentane emissions during manufacturing. EPS is produced by expanding styrene beads using pentane gas, a hydrocarbon that contributes to... Read more

Richard L. Crowther, Butterworth Architecture, 80 Montvale Ave., Stoneham, MA 02180; 617/438-8464 (800/366-2665 for orders). 1992, $39.95.

Richard Crowther is clearly committed to understanding and practicing “ecologic architecture” in every way possible. The scope and breadth of material in this book is remarkable... 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

Steve Loken has been building houses and enjoying the Montana wilderness for fifteen years. In the mid-’80s, Steve began to see a conflict. The forests he so enjoyed were disappearing, the houses going up were getting bigger and bigger, and the lumber they had available to them was getting worse and worse. Out of that realization grew the idea... Read more

As the plight of forests gets more attention, the number of groups and organizations that have taken on the task of certifying sustainable forestry practices has multiplied. With this proliferation, a need has emerged to coordinate the different certification efforts and establish... Read more

By Janet Marinelli with Robert Kourik. Little, Brown & Co., 1992. 230 pages, hardcover, $45.

This book skillfully combines a “how-to” approach to sustainable home-building and remodeling, with an inspiring array of case studies and beautiful photographs showcasing environmental design strategies. Clearly reflecting the author’s first... Read more

The Toronto City Council has just approved in principal a proposal to coordinate a massive energy and water conservation program. Viewed as a way to create jobs for the city’s ailing construction sector, the plan calls for investments averaging $14,000 per unit on 75% of the city’s 280,000... Read more

Trus Joist MacMillan, makers of the Silent Floor™ framing system, have just introduced a rim joist made especially for use with that system. The new product is made from a new type of manufactured lumber called Timberstrand LSL™ (Laminated Strand Lumber), which is basically a next-generation, high-end... Read more

Sustainably harvested wood resources just took a giant leap forward with the first certified sustainably produced plywood. Springfield Forest Products of Springfield, Oregon, and Trus Joist MacMillan provided materials for the roof of an environmental prototype store in Lawrence, Kansas. The store... Read more