Asbestos Moving out of Colorado Homes
    
Purchasing a home can be filled with excitement and anticipation for homeowners. Regarded as one of the great American traditions, it can also be a time where additional responsibilities are acquired. There are many locations throughout the state of Colorado in which citizens have been exposed to asbestos. Asbestos is found in the ground as a naturally-occurring mineral and pollutant. Left behind by many industrial plants and military bases which are now abandoned, there are still dangers present which pose risks to citizens throughout the state.

Potential Denver, Colorado home buyers or those remodeling homes should be aware that homes built before 1980 may still harbor asbestos materials. This is not to make you alarmed because asbestos exposure is easily prevented by taking simple precautions. Typically found in attic insulation, piping, popcorn ceilings, roof shingles and flooring, many green, healthy options insulation options exist that make the use of asbestos obsolete.

Asbestos fibers are thin and strong, and when inhaled frequently, an individual can develop mesothelioma, a rare but severe lung ailment caused by asbestos exposure. Several mesothelioma treatments are available; however, patient prognosis is usually poor. There are a number of factors that can impact how a person reacts to the disease and how their life span and mesothelioma life expectancy will be affected. These factors include latency period, age of diagnosis and cigarette smoking.

If any asbestos is suspected in the home, the best thing to do is leave it un-disturbed until a home inspector can determine the best course of action. Disturbing asbestos in good condition may cause its fibers to be released into the air. It is important to meet with health or environmental professionals to properly examine your new property. Sometimes, the best action is no action. However, if removal is necessary, it must be performed by a licensed abatement contractor who is trained in handling hazardous substances. Organizations such as the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, assists businesses and schools to comply with laws regulating asbestos containing materials.

In Colorado, construction practices are upgrading methods to suit better lighting, heating, cooling systems and environmentally habitable insulation. Green options such as cotton fiber, cellulose and lcynene should be given consideration as replacements to asbestos. Not only will eco-friendly materials provide a healthy atmosphere, it can significantly reduce energy costs.

Current statistics demonstrates that the use of recycled building materials such as cotton fiber insulation can reduce energy use in the home by 25 percent. Alternatives to asbestos allow for you and your family to live in a healthy and safe home, free of health corroding materials.

Denver women who want to improve their home repair skills are invited to register for classes.  This is a great opportunity to learn from a master craftswoman how to do the kinds of things around the house that have mostly been left to the men.  Judy Browne is an amazing woman who had a great idea, Workshop for Women.  Judy was an AmeriCorp volunteer and learned how to build a home from the ground up working for 14 months with Habitat for Humanity.

Channel 4 Denver featured a story about Judy with a video showing how she teaches women how to do their own maintenance.  Have a look!  You can reach Judy at 303-284-6354 or you can email her to register for a class.

It's that time of year again when people start freaking out about their lawns. Climate change and global warming don't seem to worry homeowners as much as having the best lawn on the block. Xeriscaping -- well, someday, maybe, but not this year.  So out come the Scotts products, the fertilizer, the sprayers, the crabgrass patrol.

There's another way this year to help with the quest for the greenest lawn this side of the British Isles. Colorado State University Cooperative Extension has come out with a program that will put expert eyeballs on homeowners' lawns, CSU Lawncheck.  A memer of the Cooperative Extension horticultural staff will come out to your home and do a diagnosis plus recommendations.

It's not available everywhere in Colorado.  It will begin in the metro Denver counties of Arapahoe, Boulder, Denver, El Paso and Jefferson, and in Mesa, Delta, Montrose and Ouray counties on the Western Slope. Just call the Cooperative Extension office in your county and make a date with an expert.  It does cost.  But $75 (plus mileage) hardly seems like a lot of money to pay for a personal visit.

Check out the CSU Extension website, and be on your way to a blue-ribbon, or shall we say green-ribbon lawn.

Denver is named as the number 9 city in the nation in 2006 for sustainability by SustainLane, an organization formed in 2004 to provide resources to governments, businesses and citizens interested in green livability.

Add to that today's United Nations' global warming report which finds earlier reports on the state of the globe more conservative than initially thought, and Denver becomes one of the few large cities inland that might be able to withstand the expected effects of global warming and still offer a welcoming and sustainable ambience to present and future residents.