Best of Neocon AwardA Competition of Contract Furnishing Products http://www.neocon.com/BiodegradableAn organic substance that is capable of decomposition or degradation by bacteria or the enzymes of other living organisms. It is generally material that comes from plants, animals or other living organisms (and sometimes artificial substances) that can be degraded by microorganisms.Campaign for Safe CosmeticsThe Campaign for Safe Cosmetics is a coalition of US health and environmental nonprofit group working to promote non-toxic personal care products; The coalition is working to protect health by calling for the elimination of chemicals used in the cosmetics industry that have been linked to cancer, birth defects and other health problems. Zoetica is a firm believer in safe cosmetics and has their own certified organic skin care line and organic beauty products from organic cosmetics to organic cleansers. http://www.cosmeticdatabase.com/CFL Complex Flourescent LightingThey use about 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs, yet fill our rooms with equal light.
CompostingCompost is organic material that has been created by: combining organic wastes. (See table below.) Ideally each material is combined in certain ratios to achieve maximum results. Turning the material to aerate it and adding certain compounds designed to speed up decomposition can lead to an excellent product for the garden.Compost provides excellent texture to the soil and nutrients for the plants that are grown in it leading to larger, healthier plants.
Cradle to CradleCradle to Cradle is Service Mark of MBDC (McDonought Braungart Design Chemistry, LLC) a product and service company that attempts to generate, economic, social and ecological abundance.Essentially “Cradle to Cradle” is a concept replacing the “Cradle to Grave” philosophy of the past century. In essence, to only think in terms of obtaining that which is desired or necessary for the length of one’s life. This led to an inherent short sightedness and selfishness - a false sense of the limited abundance of natural resources and the unconscious take-make-waste behaviors that we have all engaged in. Our new awareness has led to designs based on patterns found in nature, eliminating the concept of waste entirely and creating an abundance that is healthy and sustaining. Eco-Effectiveness is MBDC's design strategy for realizing these results by optimizing materials to be food either for nature's ecosystems or for humans'industrial systems—perpetually circulating in closed systems that create value and are inherently healthy and safe. http://www.c2ccertified.com/ Dual Flush ToiletsThis is a feature that allows the user to choose the amount of water that is used for flushing - a smaller amount for easier clean up and a larger amount for more extensive clean up.EMP - Electromagnetic PollutionElectromagnetic pollution alters the natural resonant frequency of the earth. Everything that lives on earth, from a simple cell to a human being, vibrates to 7.8 hertz. The human body uses good frequencies between 7 to 9 hertz, but frequencies outside this range cause biological damage to all living organisms.Energy StarENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy helping us all save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices. http://www.energystar.gov/FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) woodFSC is an independent, non-governmental, not for profit organization established to promote the responsible management of the world’s forests. http://www.fsc.org/gpm- gallons per minuteGreen-Guard ProductsLEDLight Emitting Diode is a semiconductor diode that emits light when an electrical current is applied in the forward direction of the device. The effect is a form of electroluminescence.MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) RATINGThe MERV Rating is a standard created in 1987 by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers to rate the effectiveness of air filters in the removal of dust and other airborne contaminants from the air on each pass as it travels through that filter. The Higher the MERV rating the greater the efficiency* and arrestance* in removal of those particles. The ratings go from 1 - 16.
R24 InsulationThis is a rating system for the level that insulation resists heat transfer in or out of a building.The higher the value the greater the insulating capacity. It is based on the material, thickness and density of the insulation. How and where it is installed also affects R-value. All building materials have some R-value. R-24 is a very high level of insulation.RFID- Radio Frequency IdentificationSustainability“Sustainability” is a relatively new term. In the broadest sense, it means that a process or state can be maintained indefinitely. Currently, however, it is used primarily in regard to the environment and the burgeoning “green” movement. Essentially,sustainability means to create, maintain or conserve an ecological balance thus avoiding the depletion of natural resources. The underlying message of sustainability is awareness and respect of the planet we live on and the people that we share it with. It means that we need to be aware and conscious of the impact of our behavior to harm or heal the planet and thus compromising or enhancing the ability of future generations to meet their own needs indefinitely. (The current oil crisis is a dramatic example of everything that has been done to prevent sustainability.)UF (Urea-formaldehyde)This is a transparent resin of plastic made from urea and formaldehyde that are used in adhesives, certain finshes, fiberboards and molded objects. It was commonly used as insulation after the 1950s. However, in the 1980’s concerns about the toxicity of the fumes it created while being created and when breaking down with age began to emerge. It has been associated with respiratory, eye, ear, nose and throat irritation depending on the amount of exposure and lung and nasopharyngeal cancer.USDA Certified OrganicThe USDA Organic seal assures consumers of the quality and integrity of organic products. Organic-certified operations must have an organic system plan and records that verify compliance with that plan. Operators are inspected annually in addition there are random checks to assure standards are being met.
The USDA has identified for three categories of labeling organic products:
• 100% Organic: Made with 100% organic ingredients
• Organic: Made with at least 95% organic ingredients
• Made With Organic Ingredients: Made with a minimum of 70% organic ingredients with strict restrictions on the remaining 30% including no GMOs (genetically modified organisms)
Products with less than 70% organic ingredients may list organically produced ingredients on the side panel of the package, but may not make any organic claims on the front of the package.
USGBC: LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System™USGBC: LEED is a third-party certification program and the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. LEED provides building owners and operators with the tools they need to have an immediate and measurable impact on their building’s performance. It promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. http://www.usgbc.org/LEED Project Certificationprovides independent, third-party verification that a building project meets the highest green building and performance measures. All certified projects receive a LEED plaque, which is the nationally recognized symbol demonstrating that a building is environmentally responsible, profitable and a healthy place to live and work. To achieve LEED certification, buildings must meet all Prerequisites in the Rating System and a minimum of 32 points. The flexibility of the Rating System allows building owners, mangers and practitioners to determine which credits to pursue based on performance goals. LEED for Existing Buildings ratings are awarded according to the following point thresholds: Certified 32–39 points Silver 40–47 points Gold 48–63 points Platinum 64–85 pointsVOC (volatile organic compounds)These refer to a wide range of carbon-based molecules from liquids or solids that easily vaporize into a gas and can be a significant contributor to both indoor and outdoor air pollution. The US Environmental Protection Agency defintion is “any compound of carbon, excluding carbon monoxide and ammonium carbonate, which participates in atmospheric photochemical reactions.” The most common natural VOC is methane - a greenhouse gas from wetlands, landfills,livestock etc. Natural VOC’s can also come from human breath, skin and gas (think of the smell of a room where someone has been sleeping all night and the windows have been closed.) Artificial VOC’s can come from dry cleaning solvents, paints, gasoline, aerosol sprays, intensity and length of exposure. Naturally, their concentration is higher indoors. They are considered to be a major cause of “sick building syndrome” as they are generated by photcopiers, carpets, furnishings, laminated furniture, wall coverings, paints, varnishes and any number of other artificial products used to furnish homes and offices.Wellness Water FilterThese water filters both filter and enrich the water. To give a further explanation of this see below taken from their website:
How It Works:
To understand how the Wellness Filter® is able to produce such an unusual and highly sought after water, it is best to think of it has having two distinct zones. The first zone is a purification zone where contaminants are removed. This results in a pure, natural tasting water. This zone contains a deep bed of high-efficiency, proprietarily prepared oconut-based activated carbon. This carbon provides the removal of organic contaminants, chlorine and its derivative compounds, MTBE and tastes and odors. The carbon is preceded by a layer of ultra-high surface area volcanic sand for precise removal of suspended solids, parasites such as cryptosporidium and ghiardia, and bacteria.
The second zone of the Wellness Filter® is the enhancement zone. This zone consists of five layers of natural media – each designed to impart a specific effect to the water. The first three layers consist of a layer of far- infrared emitting ceramic media sandwiched in between two layers of magnetite media (a naturally magnetic ore). The far-infrared ceramic media is made from proprietary mixture of powdered Tenko-seki stone (an extremely rare Japanese mineral) and several other semi-precious stones. The far infrared ceramic beads provide a permanent source of free negative ions in the water. These negative or reduced ions have been shown to provide a mild anti-oxidant effect when consumed or used for bathing and showering.
The two layers of magnetite are sandwiched in between two high gauss magnets. As water passes through this high magnetic field, individual water molecules are affected in such a way that their physical properties are temporarily changed. While there are many theories to explain the phenomena, what can be observed is that water treated in this manner will be more readily absorbed by human, animal and plant life. NEC Corporation, one of Japan's most prestigious scientific companies has conclusively shown that the solubilty of water at a given temperature goes up significantly after passing through this array of media. Water with higher solubility will also tend to dissolve more substances in it or prevent existing dissolved solids from plating out (antiscaling). The combined effect is a super hydrating water that will accelerate the transport of water through membranes in the body as well as out of the body. The Japanese believe this is one reason why long term consumption of the water seems to aid certain conditions like kidney stones and the plaque build-up in arteries. It also explains why the water is particularly effective in removing heavy metals from the body without stripping critical minerals at the same time.
The last two layers of the enhancement zone are two rare stones, Bakuhan and Taicho respectively. Bakuhan stone is of igneous origin and the the only mineral that has ever been certified by the Japanese Ministry of Health as a natural medicinal. The Japanese Ministry of Health has tested and found that water treated with Bakuhan is quite therapeutic when used for bathing and soaking. The Ministry was able to verify that regular soaking in Bakuhan treated water aids the body in recovering from many skin rashes including eczema and supports the body’s repair of burns and minor frostbite. Bakuhan helps stabilize the pH of the water and promotes a natural alkaline state in the body. It also introuces into the water specific trace minerals such as magnesium, potassium, and soluble silica, which the Japanese believe support optimum cellular health.
Taicho has been certified as a natural anti-bacterial and anti-fungal mineral. In 850 AD, a famous Japanese monk used Taicho to stop an epidemic of what was believed to Ecoli in the public water supply. Wellness Enterprises has tested the properties of these minerals in several agricultural applications and found the water to stimulate plant growth while retarding fungal attack. In summary, the Wellness Filter® purifies and also enhances water. The enhancement process produces a water that has a faster rate of hydration, contains negative ions, has a higher solubility, and contains specific beneficial trace ions and minerals. The treated water has also been shown to be naturally anti- bacterial and anti-fungal. A summary table of each type of media follows.
Summary of Media Composition
1.SPG Sand – A manufactured media, the surface area of this material is 6.16 sq. meters per gram and provides 0.5-micron level filtration. Produces high efficiency filtration, removes parasites and adsorbs trace heavy metals, and yields very pure water. SPG sand is used in some Japanese dialysis machines to purify blood.
2.Granulated Activated Carbon - Made from highest quality coconut shell carbon. Removes chlorine, tastes, odors,and other harmful contaminants.
3.Taicho Mineral - Made from igneous minerals. Will detoxify harmful organics. Inactivates harmful bacteria. Enhances structure of water molecules. Removes iron, cadmium, and many harmful substances in tap water.
4.Bakuhan Mineral - Igneous mineral that stabilizes the pH of the water, increases dissolved oxygen, removes harmful substances and enhances the taste of the water. Imparts trace mineral such as silica, potassium, and magnesium. 5.Magnet & Magnetite Stone – High flux density (greater than 5,600 gauss) magnetic stone and magnets create magnetic field in filter for magnetic structuring of the water. Increases the rate of hydration and the solubility of treated water.
6.Far-Infrared Ceramic – A far infrared emitting ceramic media made from a proprietary blend of rare minerals. Produces negative ions, which provide a mild anti-oxidant effect. Believed to aid the body in fighting immune disorders, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease.
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