Did you know bathrooms are by far the main source of water use in the home, accounting for nearly 75% of total consumption? According to the EPA, a conventional toilet uses 1.6 gallons per flush, and if it’s an old one, it could be using between 3.5 to 7 gallons per flush. Even worse, leaky toilets, which typically go unnoticed, can waste up to 200 gallons per day! (Put 10 drops of food coloring in the tank to test yours. Don’t flush and wait 10-15 minutes. If the color ends up in the toilet bowl, you have a leak.) Add in showers, baths, washing hands, and brushing teeth and you can see why the bathroom’s a water hog.
Beyond reducing water use, consider all of the other ways you can go green in the bathroom: install an energy-efficient exhaust fan, refinish your tub instead of buying new, use recycled glass tile, choose a reclaimed wood vanity (or adapt an old dresser), install a greywater system that waters your garden with your shower water – the list goes on and on! Take some time to explore our articles with more tips, and enjoy perusing our product and project inspiration!
I.M. Pei and Araldo Cossutta’s modernist architecture extended to Hyde Park, Chicago in 1961 with the design of the now-historic University Park Condominium. Elemental Green enlisted local architect Richard Kasemsarn to help give one of the penthouse units a green makeover while staying true to its modernist beginnings.
Every year, millions of gallons of paint end up going to waste, with much of it ending up in our waterways and landfills. Recolor collects unused paint and remanufactures it as a healthy paint option for any eco-renovation, including our own #EcoRenovate.
Are you planning to renovate your home? The product choices you make can have a huge impact on your health and the planet. Elemental Green’s Founder and CEO Sheridan Foster gives us some such examples as she walks us through our first branded renovation in Chicago’s Hyde Park.
Step inside a 1960s historical gem in Chicago, originally designed by I.M. Pei and Araldo Cossutta, as Elemental Green sustainably renovates a penthouse unit.
In an era of increasing water scarcity, the innovations at Bend, Oregon’s Desert Rain house, America’s first Living Building Challenge-certified residence, are worth tapping into.
One of the easiest ways to make a major statement in a kitchen or bathroom is by installing a stunning countertop that becomes the focal point of the room. But some of the most popular materials for countertops are not-so-eco-friendly and some come with a handful of health risks.
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