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Getting Down and Dirty, Earthen Floors Reduce Heating,
Environmental Impact. Gelles, D. Sunday, March 04, 2007. New York Times News
Service. (Newspaper article)
At around $5-$8 a square foot, 1/3 the cost of most hardwood
floors, earthen floors are growing in demand. Made with lime, clay, sand, and of
course dirt, they are sealed with layers of oil and beeswax for durability.
Their ‘ding-ability’ is comparable to fir floors, but they can be cleaned up
with soap and water and then re-oiled for a renewed shine. They are considered
extremely beneficial with regard to reduction in heating costs and environmental
impacts (little to no processing) and in the eyes of some, an improvement in
looks. They are great looking and the photos show mosaic tiles embedded in the
floors. And by the way, Sukita Crimmel, the entrepreneur who started a business
creating these floors, is Portland-based.
Down and Dirty. Gelles, D. February 8, 2007. The New York
Times. (Newspaper article)
Kevin Rowell and his wife Marsha Farnsworth are also into
earthen floors, and built one of theirs, bucket by bucket, in Oakland,
California. Engaging in a new breed of environmentally conscious homeowners who
are willing to forego the traditional floorings such as hardwoods, carpeting,
and concrete, Kevin and Marsha opt for the benefits of an earthen floor: reduced
heating costs and improved looks with less environmental impact.
Earthcare: Landscape Maintenance Businesses Increasingly
Offer Alternatives to Synthetics. Pokorny, K. Thursday, September 14, 2006.
The Oregonian. Living Green.
Organic landscape maintenance businesses are on the rise just
like organic food. The costs are typically 10-15% higher and that’s because the
business is more labor intensive, but the pay off in the long run is a landscape
capable of being more resilient to insects and pests. In this short article (2
pages) Pokorny lists tips to identify green landscape maintenance companies such
as, landscapes that use compost, organic fertilizer, less gas-powered tools,
mulch to suppress weeds, and do not use synthetic “weed and feed.”
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