Tough decisions about mulch?

The last major decision I had to make about my house remodeling project was the decision about landscaping mulch.

Eucalyptus?
Traditional?
Recycled Tires?

I had quite a bit of area to cover, so cost was definitely going to be a factor in the decision.

The traditional mulch was by far the cheapest, even with a delivery charge, but I was concerned about termites.

The eucalyptus bags at Lowe's seemed to be more environmentally-friendly, but I don't think there are any real answers out there yet as to whether the mulch is better than traditional cypress trees (are they harvested, or just the invasive trees).

The last option was recycled rubber mulch, made from old tires. The idea was by far the best option, but the price was 10x what a traditional bag cost. I think it's too much to ask that someone pay that much more just to go green. However, my goal with my house remodel was to make it stand out from the rest of the numerous houses on the market. As my project was winding down, I decided that I needed just one more "green" differentiator, and so I did some more research to find a local rubber mulch company, who could get me a cheaper price for a larger order.

The local company did not give me the price I wanted. I was able to find a company in Orlando (about an hour and a half away), that saved me 30% from the price at Lowe's. They routinely made shipments to South Florida, so shipping to my house was on the way, so I didn't feel as bad about the transportation impact.

Installation was relatively easy. The bags were 50-lbs each, but once emptied, the material was easy to spread, and much less messy that traditional mulch. When we finished, we were very impressed with how it turned out.

Again, it was a more expensive decision, but the aesthetic results and environmental benefits we obtained made it well worth the extra cost.

Replacing countertops

I am in the process of remodeling my house. Today's dilemna came when I was evaluating my choices of countertops. Like most green decisions, price was the biggest factor. I could either choose a cheaper quartz material ($2000), a new granite material ($2500), or a granite overlay ($4500). The more expensive it was, the better green choice it was (unfortunately). How could I possibly justify the extra $2000? Isn't twice the price too much to expect someone to "go green"? That's what I kept telling myself...

Let me first explain the benefits of the granite overlay. First, it was made of 70% recycled glass bottles. Second, it would reuse the existing countertops and I wouldn't have to send it to the landfill. Third, it used much less granite material than traditional granite countertops, so less was taken from the earth. Fourth, it was not porous like natural granite, so it was more resilient to damage from heat and knives. Fifth, and most important, it came down to principle. If I was really going to be serious about making a change, I had to feel the pain from time to time, and this was one of those times. It's easy to be green when the price is not an issue. The more we can support green companies, the more likely that price will become less of a differentiator.

I chose the granite overlay. It was 50% of my remodeling budget, but when they were finished, it was worth every penny. I also feel good about my decision, knowing that I made the right choice, not only for me, but for the environment.