Trex Decking: Sustainable and Beautiful

In honor of Earth Day today I'm posting about a product I am beginning to believe more and more in. Trex Decking. Made from reclaimed wood and reclaimed plastic Trex claims to keep more than 300,000 tons of plastic and wood scrap out of landfills each year utilizing 7 out of 10 recycled plastic bags. That's great news, especially considering the beached gray whale discovered in Seattle this morning with more than "20 plastic bags, small towels, surgical gloves, plastic pieces and duct tape" in his stomach.
What makes Trex such a great product though is not that it's sustainable but it's attractive and it's affordable. (Two categories I think a lot of "sustainable" products fall short in). In fact, in the case of Trex the cost actually balances out the benefits. One builder gave us a bid at $22,700 for a 1,040 sq ft framed deck, 3 sets of stairs off the deck, and a railing system. (What can I say I've always been a sucker for wrap around porches). And I think we can do better than that. The best part is, Trex requires very little maintenance and, according to their website, if you own your deck for at least four years the cost equals that of a pressure treated deck.
So, while you may still get plastic grocery bags from the grocery store instead of utilizing a re-useable bag I think it's okay. Just recycle it! That way it has a 70% chance of becoming a Trex deck.
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