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 that year.
The 1,600 sq. ft., three-bedroom home was constructed using recycled-content building materials and energy-efficient equipment. The construction team used resource-conserving design principles and waste reduction practices, making the home a national model for smart, green design and construction, according to a news release distributed by the National Recycling Coalition (NRC), Washington.
Building the Green Dream House was a collaborative effort with local, state, and national partners, according to the NRC. “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,” says Kate Krebs, executive director of the NRC and America Recycles Day spokesperson.
“Millions of Americans recycle every day, 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,” she adds.
Krebs noted that national sponsors of the home included Alcan Aluminum Corp., Ford Motor Co., the National Soft Drink Association, Recycle America Alliance/Waste Management Inc., Staples, the U.S. EPA, and the 100% Recycled Paperboard Alliance. 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.