With this issue addressing issues of sustainability, environmental friendliness and recycling, we turn to a couple of contractors to see what might be percolating in the green arena for them. Nadine Edelstein, owner of NTCA member Tile Design by Edelstein located inVashon, Wash., addresses the recycling issue with a program she’s dubbed, “No Tile Left Behind.” Edelstein said, “It’s enabled me to pull a LOT of mate- rial out of the waste stream, and then I am able to make creative spaces for clients with it. I don’t charge them for the material, but they pay me to design with it.” Edelstein was asked to create a fea- ture wall for a new local salon and used No Tile Left Behind material to create it. “I was thrilled when I found out that the branding was around the concept of the hive,” she said. “Several years earlier I had created a concept wall for a local group tile show. I cut kite shaped tiles from tile and stone (from No Tile Left Behind) and arranged them into a dimensional wall of hexa- gons for the show’s entry. Of course I HOT TOPICS –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Contractors get creative with green solutions Recycling options can benefit homeowners, contractors, and community members as well as the earth The wall Edelstein created for The Hive salon, using “waste” material. Edelstein’s original hex con- cept made from her No Tile Left Behind program. 48 TileLetter | August 2018