Apr
22
Happy Earth Day.
What are you doing to celebrate Earth Day in 2013 – The Face Of Climate Change?
The very first Earth Day was 43 years ago, April 22, 1970. On that day, a US Senator from Wisconsin decided he had to do something after witnessing the ravages of the 1969 massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. He was inspired by the student anti-war movement, and realized if he could infuse the same energy into public consciousness about air and water pollution, people would begin taking action to help Mother Earth.
On that day, 20 million Americans took to the streets, parks and auditoriums to demonstrate for a health, sustainable environment. This one act led to the creation of the US Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water and Endangered Species Acts.
The rest, as they say, is history. And we’ve been celebrating Earth Day ever since.
Here at Quality 1st Plumbing, we take Earth Day seriously. As the premier green plumbing company here in Colorado, we know we have to protect our most valuable resources. Read more
Feb
8
Think the process of choosing a plumber for your home needs is as simple as selecting one from a phone book, think again.
Choosing a plumber for your home repair needs can be difficult at best. As you do your homework, you will find out about all sorts of qualifications and certifications that you never knew even existed. One qualification you may run into is a plumber who is lead safe certified. If you are wondering what that even means, here is a brief answer.
Houses built before 1978 used lead in many of the construction materials. One such material was in the plumbing, specifically in the pipes. A lead safe certified plumber is a plumber who has taken classes on how to properly handle the removal, repair, and clean up of lead based materials. Read more
Feb
1
What Makes A Trained And Licensed GreenPlumber Different From The Others
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Each profession has a nearly limitless number of field continuing education opportunities and certifications. Plumbing is no different. If you have ever looked around for a plumber to help with a home construction or remodeling project, you have probably come across a large number of certifications. One such certification is GreenPlumber licensing. So, the question naturally is, what difference does GreenPlumber licensing make? What makes a trained and licensed GreenPlumber stand out from the competition?
One big benefit for the consumer is the GreenPlumber Code Of Ethics. Every licensed GreenPlumber professional has pledged to work within the ethical boundaries laid out by GreenPlumber.
Another benefit of hiring a licensed GreenPlumber is the continued financial support of furthering the cause of going green. Companies employing licensed GreenPlumbers pay a monthly fee used to continue training and licensing of plumbers.
Read more
Dec
13
Looking for a way to save money in the New Year?
Today, the trend is for homeowners to find ways to make their home friendly to the environment. One very effective way to do this is with eco-friendly plumbing. When you have “green” plumbing installed in your home, you have the benefit of not only doing your part to save the planet, but you might also be able to save yourself a large amount of money at the same time.
Toilets
When you think of your plumbing, almost any fixture can be altered to become more eco-friendly. There are various green toilets that can be installed in your home. The main benefit behind these new units is their ability to use less water than the standard toilet. You have two choices when it comes to installing a new toilet. Dual flush units allow you to choose a short flush or a long flush – which uses only the amount of water actually needed. You can also choose toilets that flush more efficiently, only using 2 gallons per flush. Read more
Dec
7
“I’ve been hearing a lot about reverse osmosis. What exactly is it and should I consider putting one in my home to make my water safer for my family?”
Its hard not to get caught up in the media stories that talk about our water supplies being threatened. We use water for virtually everything in our homes. From showering and brushing our teeth first thing in the morning, to cooking and cleaning throughout the day, water is the basic commodity in use all day through.
Yet living right here in Colorado gives us access to to a clean water source we take for granted. But is it clean enough?
A reverse osmosis system removes up to 98 percent of all sodium in the water supply, as well as nitrates, lead, chlorine, pharmaceuticals, and many more impurities. A typical reverse osmosis system goes through a four or five stage process that filters and removes the harsh chemicals, delivering your final drinking water from a faucet attached to your kitchen sink. Read more
Oct
18
Everyone is looking to save a buck or two (of course, we wouldn’t be opposed to saving a few more). And if we can save the planet while we’re at it, that’s even better.
If you have found yourself looking at purchasing a new appliance lately, you may be wondering if an energy efficient appliance is truly worth the cost. They claim to save you money and save the environment. So, what’s the catch? Are there any downsides, or are energy efficient appliances truly the way to go?
Higher efficiency – Appliance manufacturers have made significant improvements to the energy efficiency of all appliances, but especially energy efficient appliances. As appliances age, their efficiency naturally decreases. New, energy efficient appliances definitely use less energy. Read more
Oct
11
With so many different acronyms and buzzwords in the media, its sometimes hard to understand what it all means.
Carbon footprint may be one of those words. You know it has to do with “going green”. You know it has to do with the amount of energy you use. But what else is there?
Your carbon footprint isn’t something you can see or touch with your eyes. However, just like a footprint, your use of various items leaves behind a trail of the carbon dioxide produced when we use up resources and cause pollution in the air. Almost everything you do on a daily basis creates carbon dioxide Which is why learning more about your carbon footprint focuses in on ways to reduce energy usage.
Home Energy Efficiency
You can use free websites that offer a calculation on your carbon footprint to determine exactly where you should make changes and how drastic your changes should be. Tracking your monthly power usage can help give you a visual of your power usage. Once you know your power usage, you can make positive changes in your home by using less power. Changing your light bulbs to more energy efficient bulbs can get you started on your changes. Read more
Jul
6
Understanding LEED – Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Program
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In 1993, the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) was formed. It was created to fulfill a need – the need to have future structures be sustainable. To put it in simpler terms, the USGBC was designed to ensure that future structures – buildings, homes, etc. – were sustainable in terms of design, build and operation.
Before the formation of the USGBC, builders were concerned about the future of structures. They understood that the materials used needed to be more favorable to the environment. They also understood that natural resources were not always infinite. Things needed to change, structures needed to be “green” – hence, the formation of the USGBC.
The USGBC created a rating system for construction projects. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program sets the standard for green buildings – also known as sustainable buildings. LEED determines the specific aspects that make a building green. The standards used are intended to have the least impact on the environment and the people using the structure. Read more
Apr
26
The Greenest Toilet
Filed Under Green Plumbing | Leave a Comment
We live in a time of “green living”. Green living means doing your part to help protect the environment. You can do this in numerous ways, such as driving a hybrid car (or not driving at all), switching your regular light bulbs for energy-saving bulbs, recycling, and investing in energy saving appliances.
All can save money. Yet there is one thing you use more than any other fixture in your house, and it will have the largest impact in over all consumption – your toilet.
Having the greenest toilet on the market today doesn’t mean you have to use composting or revert back to old ways of living. Instead it mean choosing a high efficiency toilet that will help you save the most water possible. Read more
Apr
22
Happy Earth Day 2012.
This year more than one billion people across the globe will participate in the 42nd annual Earth Day activities, with this year’s theme being Mobilize The Earth.
When the first Earth Day was held 42 years ago, 20 million Americans from all walks of life participated. It is credited with launching today’s environmental movement, and the passage of landmark laws that we rely on today, such as the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act.
Today you’ll find people participating around the globe, with activities planned in all types of venues, from schools to churches, individuals and businesses.
Mobilize The Earth is designed to provide people with a way of demanding immediate action to secure Renewable Energy for all, and a sustainable future for our planet. If governments from around the globe won’t take steps towards protecting and preserving the environment, it remains with the people. Read more
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- Quality 1st Plumbing website - Quality 1st Plumbing website
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- WaterSense