The green product resource for your home remodel.

Home audio manufacturer Klipsch, just announced their very high-end Palladium P-39F floorstanding speaker set.   While this speaker qualifies for the high-end remodeler budget ($20,000/pair), we wanted to bring it our audience because we like what Klipsch did with the wood paneling on this product — and we know their are homeowners out there that will purchase these! 

The company moved away from the use of zebrawoodveneer (considered a threatened species), often desired by high-end homeowner’s with home theaters, and replaced it with woods from government controlled harvests.  The team over at ecoustics.com discusses the move in detail, backed up by the recent Klipsch press release.   

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GetWithGreen.com was able to connect up with Virginia Young of Yolo Colorhouse last month during an open house at Eco Home Improvement in Berkeley, CA.  Virginia spoke a lot about the paint market, and differentiating Yolo from other vendors in the marketplace.

What do we like about Yolo?  We like their background as a professional painters.  Both Virginia and her business partner Janie Lowe got their start by actually painting.  So what?  This means that they have taken into account important elements such as making sure their paint covers well - a criticism of some eco-friendly no VOC paints.   In addition, Yolo is one company that is doing more that branding a paint zero voc and “green”.  They are incorporating as much into their daily business practices as possible… recycling practices, bio diesel trucks, and more.

Check out Yolo Paints for your remodel.  If you don’t know what color would look good, Yolo offers 12″x24″ paper samples covered with paint for $5.99.  Much nicer than those 1″x1″ squares you pick up at Home Depot.  Much nicer than purchasing entire quarts, no likeing them, and letting them sit in your garage!

Lastly, GetWithGreen came across a nice little article on Star-Telegram.com.  Author Jesse Milligan gives some background on the company and Janie Lowe: Paint it green: You can put her colors on your walls.  Check it out!

Rain Bird Corporation announced today that they have opened registration to win a $10,000 backyard makeover in their Why is it Always Greener contest.  One grand prize winner will receive a gift card to the home retailer of their choice, and a first prize winner will receive a $500 gift card.  The sweepstakes only requires you to fill out their form electronically and submit.   GetWithGreen.com thinks this could be a great way to get in on transforming your backyard to a greener solution — using products like automatic sprinkler shut-off sensors.

The deadline for entries is midnight on August 31, 2008. Winners will be announced in October 2008.

Additionally, the Rain Bird team is still accepting nominations for its Intelligent Use of Water Award.  This award is open to homeowners (and organizations) whose This post continues… �

As homeowners, many of us will use our home remodel as an opportunity to “upgrade” our existing home audio and visual equipment such as televisions, amplifiers, satellite/cable box, DVD players, whole house audio, video games, etc. 

With these upgrades, you have an opportunity to reduce power consumption in your home – making your home a greener home.  Further, if your new equipment is an addition to your power consumption, then there are products that are better choices than others relative to energy consumption. 

Today, we want to talk about the whole house audio category, and innovation which is occurring in the whole house audio market.  Whole house audio is sound that is piped to various locations in your home, and you hear it through speakers in your walls or ceiling.  You select a source (DVD, iPod, Pandora, XM Satellite) in the room you are occupying, your amplifier recognizes your selection, and then delivers the sound/music to your location. 

A key component of whole house audio system is a multi-channel amplifier.  Suppliers of multi-zone multi-channel amplifiers are company’s such as This post continues… �

Quick update on the Panasonic ceiling fan that we purchased a few weeks ago for our GetWithGreen remodel.

If you recall, we purchased the most efficient fan from ENERGY STAR list - the Panasonic WhisperGreen FV-08VKS1.  The fan was installed this week. 

You can adjust the CFM between 30-70 (easily).  What is amazing about this ventilation fan is that it is SILENT when running.  You cannot hear it at all!  We guarantee that your kids will forget to turn it off!   To counter this, we are going to install a motion sensor switch.  

If we had to purchase again we might consider the FV-08VKM1 with the built in motion sensor.   The FV-08VKM1 can be configured to to turn off anywhere between 30s-60min after motion is no longer detected.    

We purchased the Panasonic fan at Galaxy Lighting in San Jose, CA.  It cost us about This post continues… �

Cabinets torn out, walls ripped down to the studs, all you see is the sub-floor. You are remodeling your kitchen, and there is that oh-so-familiar question each night, “What are we having for dinner?” So, are you cooking via the microwave that sits on a stool in your den? Do you grill outside, again?

Did someone say Take-Out?

GetWithGreen was contacted today by Taco Bell, and they asked if we would share their recent green conservation story. We tried hard to find the connection between your interests in eco-friendly home remodeling, and a “run for the Border.” Well if you are hungry tonight, and your kitchen is ripped apart, it might be that Taco Bell is a consideration for quieting the hungry family. If that’s the case, here is how a crunchy taco and Burrito Supreme might align with your overall greener mission (can’t wait to see your comments on this one :-)). Enjoy!

Run for the Border?

Taco Bell is rolling out its new Grill-to-Order cooking cooking method by installing water and energy saving electric grills that will conserve 300 million gallons of water per year, the equivalent of filling This post continues… �

Last year was the year that holiday LEDs broke onto the scene across the US. We are now starting to see the efficient lights make their way into home fixtures as well.

Below is some background on what other consumers are saying. We guarantee that you will see LED fixtures as you are seeking those recessed lights for your remodel!

Consumers Warming To LEDs as an Energy-Efficient Solution for Lighting, Finds Arrow Electronics Study

MELVILLE, N.Y.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–With consumer interest in energy-efficient lighting growing rapidly, the next wave of mass-market residential and business lighting could be coming from LEDs – light-emitting diodes, also known as solid-state lighting. That’s the key finding of a new consumer survey commissioned by Arrow Electronics, Inc. (NYSE:ARW), a leading global provider of products, services and solutions to users of electronic components and enterprise computing solutions. The survey was conducted for Arrow by Harris Interactive®.

Commonly used today in flashlights and electronic devices, LEDs are being adapted by manufacturers to replace the common light bulb. Although more expensive than other lighting options, LEDs use a fraction of electricity of traditional light bulbs, last longer than regular incandescent light bulbs and compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), and contain no hazardous This post continues… �

Massachusetts has a $68 million fund to provide rebates to local homeowners and businesses that install solar panels to provide electricity. Fill out the form, and determine just how much of the big piece of pie you can get.

Here is a video from WCVBTV5 in Boston with the details. Solar rebates in Massachusetts.

For more information on solar rebates in your area, check out the DSIRE database.