Some of the points awarded in green building programs pertain to using recycled products in your home building or remodeling project. In this post I'm going to show how I applied these concepts in the exterior areas of my project. The first product that I was able to use was crushed concrete in my drive areas. I was real excited about it because, not only did I get some early points, I saved some money, since crushed concrete is cheaper than regular crushed stone. The fellow that brings my sand and fill said that it would pack in and be more stable also and that turned out to be true. Fixed my access drive up real well and it held up to those big trucks coming in and out.
Another way I saved some money is by recycling a keystone wall. My brother saved it for me when they took it out during a commercial remodel in Charlotte. It went to my house instead of to the dump. I re-installed it and pressure washed it to get the red mud off. It was a pretty tough experience, and I drove a little too far to haul it home economically, but in concept it all worked out. Another thing I scored was some recycled rebar for my foundation. My buddy in construction was demolishing a bridge, and had some real heavy stuff, except it wasn't real long lengths. We wire tied it all together and it worked out great. Even had enough to go vertically in the pier walls. Saved some more bucks and every little bit helps. Your situation will warrant different solutions than mine for sure, but the key is to get creative and do things differently than you used to. The willingness to innovate sure makes green building easier. 
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