Whether your project involves painting a school, teaching literacy, or restoring a wetland, it has the potential to use a large amount of materials. It is vitally important that these materials be “green” – either locally or sustainably produced.
One common question is about the benefits, costs, and tradeoffs of using different materials. For example, if a material is made from recycled content but is not made locally, is it superior to a material made from virgin resources that is made locally? Some of these decisions are value judgments that need to be made when establishing eco-friendly goals. In this case above, the recycled material might reduce overall water usage and criteria pollutant air emissions, but the locally made material might reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions.
