"Green Dream House" Erected

Washington, D.C.— Construction is complete on the America Recycles Day Green Dream House in McCook, Nebraska. The Green Dream House was the National Grand Prize for America Recycles Day 2001. Judith Mahoney of McCook won the prize, valued at approximately $200,000, when her pledge to recycle more and to buy recycled products was drawn at random from more than 6.2 million America Recycles Day pledge cards. America Recycles Day is celebrated annually on November 15.

The 1,600 square-foot, three-bedroom home was constructed using recycled-content building materials and energy efficient equipment. The team used resource-conserving design principles and waste reduction practices, making this home a national model for smart, green design and construction. The home was also designed to complement the architectural diversity and historical nature of its McCook, Nebraska neighborhood.

Building the Green Dream House was a collaborative effort with local, state, and national partners. “The Green Dream House is a great way to showcase what America Recycles Day is all about—using natural resources more wisely by recycling and using recycled products. Millions of Americans recycle everyday, generating thousands of tons of recyclables that are used to manufacture hundreds of new products, many of which were used to build the Green Dream House,” says Kate Krebs, executive director of the National Recycling Coalition and America Recycles Day spokesperson.

“With the support of our national sponsors — Alcan Aluminum Corporation, Ford Motor Company, the National Soft Drink Association, Recycle America Alliance/Waste Management, Staples, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the 100% Recycled Paperboard Alliance — we’ve shown that it makes economic and environmental sense to build green,” says Krebs. Other project partners include the Nebraska State Recycling Association, which managed the project, and Gilpin Construction, a local company that served as the prime contractor.