Built on the footprint of the original Craftsman from 1918, the newly
constructed home is now leak-free and energy efficient.
Craftsman style wood trim accents the energy efficient windows in the
bedrooms.
M
indy Uhrlaub had a grasp on her own green-living
The couple began their search for a smaller home in their beloved Seminary neighborhood. Two and a half years ago they
discovered the perfect property a block away. It was exactly what
they wanted: a lot in the Seminary flats close to the local school. It
came with a bonus - a majestic valley oak tree in the backyard. "It's
sensibilities, but exposure through travels to Africa further chal-
hundreds of years old and I just fell in love with that tree," Uhrlaub
lenged her perspective.
says.
"They recycle everything," the San Anselmo resident says. "You
The drawback was the leaky, rat-infested and energy-depleting
can bring diapers for babies, for example, and they'll appreciate
93-year old house. It had to go, but, "we felt weird throwing out
it, but generally don't use them. I realized I can only really help
the old house and putting it in the landfill," Uhrlaub says. "Since
people by reducing my own carbon footprint."
we were putting up a house that would be larger than the existing
This shift in thinking gave Mindy and husband Kirk the encouragement to re-evaluate their own lifestyle. "We realized we
needed less space," she explains. "We didn't have the number of
one, the least we could do was damage the environment as little as
possible."
Their solution? Hire The Reuse People of America to deconstruct
kids needed to fill the house that we owned and we had rooms we
the house, board by board. TRP, an Oakland-based national non-
never used."
profit firm, salvages materials, from lighting, lumber, appliances
"If we were going to be green," she says, "we had to talk the talk
and walk the talk."
and cabinetry to doors and floors, bricks and windows. TRP then
recycles everything possible by selling to the public.
That translated to living within walking distance of the school
"They were amazing," Uhrlaub remembers. "These guy were
for their sons. The boys had been going to private school, she says,
pulling nails out of boards and pulling down the house almost like
"but we believe in the power of community, of dropping the kids
a kid takes apart Legos. There were piles of nails, railings, win-
off and seeing neighbors and becoming involved."
dows, wood all over the yard.
SUMMER 2013 • FLOURISH
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