out-of-doors, right? The realm of
royal red dawns, glorious golden
sunsets, snow flurries, rain drops,
little bugs, wild animals, sand in
your toes at the beach, and leaves
in your hair from a walk in the
ronment also includes the environ-
ment that is your home.
being part of the exterior environ-
ment, which is why experts who
build, decorate, and maintain homes
encourage us to pay attention to what
we put into our home and what we
cast out from it.
a home construction company in
Portage, says that lessening the
ecological footprint of home building
is the right thing to do, and it makes
good business sense. "We are in a
business industry that is economi-
cally down," DeHaan says, "yet Allen
Edwin continues to build and sell
homes because we sell a value product
and because we've cut waste and
inefficiencies."
number of dumpsters hauled away
from an Allen Edwin construction
site. Marketing Manager Jessica
three dumpsters per home to one
dumpster for three homes. Customers
notice and love that because it means
the building material is going into the
home and not into the landfill," she
says.
home construction practices, such
as laying foundations. "We used to
construct foundations in various
neighborhoods. Now, we build two
or three foundations in the same
neighborhood," states Wilcox of a
practice that reduces labor cost as
well as carbon emissions associ-
ated with transportation of men and
machinery.
standpoint and because they are
smart business decisions in today's
global environment."
Coast Futons in Portage, recommends
furniture and textiles made from
natural products -- such as wood,
bamboo, cotton, silk, rice, hemp,
and flax -- especially those that are
sustainably harvested or organically
grown. "Rice paper lanterns provide
lighting that is very soft and natural,"
she offers as one example.
Healthy Home Furnishings
OD
WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
Kalamazoo, MI 49008-5212
(269) 387-2650
www.wmich.edu/hhs/holistic_health/
Undergraduate/graduate programs:
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THE HEALING ARTS
SCHOOL OF MASSAGE &
BODYWORK
6350 West KL Ave.
(269) 373-0910
www.kcha.com
Thoughtful, hands-on training
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MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
1903 West Michigan Ave.,
Kalamazoo, MI 49006
(269) 387-3232
www.wmich.edu/fetzer
Full service conference center;
meetings/trainings, banquets,
weddings