Michelle,

We have been in the construction field since for far  too many years – starting our own business in 1976.  I feel that we have always tried to be “green”.   When we personally built our own home in 1985, my husband cut all of the framing with a small sawmill.  Our home was built with roughcut lumber.  All our interior doors including closet doors were recycled from a late 1800’s hotel that was being demolished, along with them, we used the wainscoting and also trimmed the doors and windows with this wood.  Neither had been painted – we also used hardwood flooring that was previously laid.  We actually had some people ask us if our home was new.  We checked all products for the use of chemicals.  Our exterior is rough cut wood and stone.  We tried to be as environmentally friendly and have a healthy home.  Our heat is hot water with used cast iron radiators set up for gravity wood/coal/oil.

When we had this home appraised for a bank loan, it did not appraise as high because we used ‘recycled’.  Can you imagine?

The point of my email is that ‘green’ is great, but you have backward entities that discourage people from doing it.   In our County of Cameron in PA recycling is not mandatory and the small recycling collection center consists of cardboard, clear glass, cans and plastic bottles is in a locked fenced in area and people are forced to set the recyclables outside the fence.  Then along comes the trash collection truck and everyone’s efforts go to the landfill.

Green is great – LEED should be the standard.  However, some of the requirements make LEED certified buildings cost prohibited in many areas.

‘Green’ should have been the norm for the past many, many years. 

Thank you for reading my email.

Thank you.

MARY SOLVESON
President/CEO