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Homeowners are continually looking for ways to get a greater return on their home investment. But with the recent price increases for building materials and shrinking lot sizes, outdoor living areas are now becoming a more valuable and trendy upgrade.

Awnings, both aesthetically appealing and functional, create an outdoor extension of the home that can facilitate many activities. And a well-placed awning can add thousands of dollars to the price of a home, especially in smaller homes where square footage is at a premium.

“Homeowners often consider their home a retreat and are on the lookout for unique additions that add character,” said Michelle Sahlin, managing director, Professional Awning Manufacturers Association (PAMA). “An awning extends outdoor living space by creating a new room without the high costs and complexities of other home additions. These outdoor havens have the potential to give homeowners increased selling... Read More on GetWithGreen.com

Approximately one tire is discarded per person per year. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports 290 million scrap tires were generated in 2003. These tires are among the largest and most problematic sources of waste, due to the large volume produced and their durability. Those same characteristics which make waste tires such a problem also make them one of the most re-used waste materials, as the rubber is very resilient and can be reused in other products. With landfills minimizing their acceptance of whole tires and the health and environmental risks of stockpiling tires, many new markets have been created for scrap tires. Growing markets exist for a majority of scrap tires produced every year, being supported by State and Local Government.

Believe it or not, recycled tire products can economically add value and safety to your home. Through a special process, tires can be chopped into small pieces and the metal removed. The resulting products are include crumb rubber (also known as ground rubber) and tire buffings that can be used for mulch or used to create a wide array of ...Read More on GetWithGreen.com

Recycled glass tiles are gaining in popularity, and let’s just face it — the unique patterns and colors are beautiful. We’ve taken some time to compile a list of manufacturers to help you quickly source tiles for your kitchen or bath. Enjoy!

Aurora Glass

Aurora Glass Architectural Accents include glass tiles and drawer knobs made from 100% recycled glass. Aurora Glass is a program of St. Vincent de Paul of Lane County, Inc. All profits from sale of Aurora glass support homeless and low-income people through emergency services, housing, jobs, training, and other charitable endeavors in Portland, OR. Products can be purchased directly on the company’s website.

Bedrock Industries

Blazestone® tiles are made by hand from 100% recycled glass, most of which is post-consumer content. They come in all types of shapes an sizes, as well as mosaic pieces. Color varies...Read More on GetWithGreen.com

2008 is fast approaching, and the team at GetWithGreen.com is stopping now to recognize a few of our favorite eco-friendly home improvement products for 2007. These products are assembled together under one roof: GetWithGreen.com’s 10 Best Green Home Remodeling Products for 2007.

GetWithGreen.com’s 10 Best Green Home Remodeling Products for 2007 consists of manufacturers (or categories) who deliver eco-friendly products, which make our planet a greener place. These products help us conserve, help us reuse, help us recycle, or help us become less reliant on existing harmful resources. We also looked heavily at the popularity of these products with you, our readers.

Let’s give a GetWithGreen.com Thumbs up to our 10 Best Green Home Remodeling Products for 2007:

1) Cyber-Rain – “The smartest, greenest, and easiest irrigation system on the planet.”

sprinkler cyberrainThe Cyber-Rain XCI System caused quite a bit of stir at GetWithGreen.com in 2007. It was one of the most widely read stories, and for good reason. Resetting the sprinkler timer at every change of season, or for un-seasonal weather changes, just isn’t practical – and we don’t do it! Instead we just let our sprinklers turn on when it is not necessary, and we waste our most precious resource. The Cyber-Rain XCI System made it to our list because it automatically adjusts our sprinklers depending on the weather forecast, thus greatly reducing water usage, and...

Read the other winners at www.GetWithGreen.com