I wish I had written this...

Please see Planet Green http://planetgreen.discovery.com/home-garden/green-home improvement-addvalue.html for a discussion on 5 Green Home improvements that will pay you back.

1. Upgrades to the kitchen do not require a complete renovation to add value; a new green countertop or an upgrade to your kitchen floor will net 90 - 100 percent return on your investment.
2. Update your bathroom and like the kitchen a complete renovation is not required to add value; regrouting existing tile, painting and most of all updating fixtures that conserve water adds lots of value.
3. Add insulation - here I take exception to the Green Planet Blog. They state that you can almost never have too mush insulation, I will tell you that this is can be a terrible waste of money if this is not where your home is leaking. The good news is technology has come to the rescue, home energy audits will tell you if insulation will help or if you need to seal off air leaks in other ways first. We are able to recommend several individuals for home energy audits, call us.
4. Improve the efficiency of your heating or cooling.
5. Windows - be careful here. Much to the opposition of what we are told during almost every prime time radio or TV station break, new windows may not be the best answer for your home and the same goes for vinyl siding by the way. The Green Plant Blog does a very nice job of describing how removing the old wood frame windows in a 100 year old home may reduce the homes value.

We wish to point out several links to reviews the Green Planet has done on specific products that our clients ask us about frequently.

• Countertops: http://planetgreen.discovery.com/feature/green-materials-guide/kitchen-countertops.html
• Flooring: http://planetgreen.discovery.com/feature/kitchen-floor-guide.html
• Wall Coverings: http://planetgreen.discovery.com/feature/green-materials-guide/wall-coverings.html

So there you are 5 home improvement projects that will pay you back, the resources to learn more about the recommended areas and Elements of Green is here to supply you. What could be easier.

Smith & Fong launches hardwood flooring line

April 30, 2009 - San Francisco, Calif. - Bamboo flooring and plywood pioneer Smith & Fong Co. today announced the launch of the company’s first line of hardwood flooring.

Named Sideways, the new line comes in ⁹/₁₆" x 5" x 47 ¹/₂" engineered click-lock planks, featuring a rotary-cut hardwood veneer face with a striking twist.

"Sideways takes a whole new approach to hardwood flooring on many levels, Smith & Fong president and founder Dan Smith said. From its distinct non-traditional appearance to its green credentials, this is a floor that will turn heads."

Developed for both commercial and residential applications, the entire line is urea formaldehyde-free and FSC-certified, enabling it to qualify for the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Credits MR 7: Certified Wood; and EQ 4.4: Low-Emitting Materials (No Added Urea Formaldehyde). Sideways is manufactured in America from indigenous hardwood species, maple, beech, birch, cherry and hackberry.

And now it is available at Elements of Green and can be seen in our showroom.