Eco Friendly Material Choices
Creating a safe and healthy home doesn’t have to be complicated.
There are many simple steps that you can take to reduce the toxins and VOCs in your home while also being mindful of the environment. From flooring materials to paint, and even how you use water, there are plenty of ways to create an eco-friendly home. Let’s explore what that looks like.
“Creating a safe and healthy home doesn’t have to be a daunting task”.
Flooring That’s Good for the Environment
When it comes to flooring, there are several options that you can choose from that don’t contain adhesives or other harmful chemicals. You need to be cognizant of what you purchase as some flooring, such as the adhesive in carpets contain VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds). What are VOC’s you ask? They are petroleum-based chemical compounds that readily evaporate which then become caustic airborne toxins. There are several products that include VOC’s including paints, lacquers, paint strippers, cleaning supplies, pesticides, building materials and furnishings, copiers and printers, adhesives permanent markers, nail polish and fuel. The problem with VOC’s is that they are higher indoors (up to 10 times higher) than outdoors and can have a long term health effects.
Flooring That’s Good for the Environment
When it comes to flooring, there are several options that you can choose from that don’t contain adhesives or other harmful chemicals. You need to be cognizant of what you purchase as some flooring, such as the adhesive in carpets contain VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds). What are VOC’s you ask? They are petroleum-based chemical compounds that readily evaporate which then become caustic airborne toxins. There are several products that include VOC’s including paints, lacquers, paint strippers, cleaning supplies, pesticides, building materials and furnishings, copiers and printers, adhesives permanent markers, nail polish and fuel. The problem with VOC’s is that they are higher indoors (up to 10 times higher) than outdoors and can have a long term health effects.
Companies are starting to create products that have low VOC like carpets but when it comes to the environment and your health there are several better eco-friendly options:
Bamboo
Bamboo is fast growing and sustainable and comes in #1 on our list. Bamboo is in the grass family and grows incredibly fast. It is durable and comes in solid and engineered varieties. One thing to make sure of is you need to know where it is produced as the carbon footprint for shipping could outweigh the benefits.
Stone Tiles
Stone tiles are timeless, beautiful and all natural. As the name depicts, it is a totally natural product and it is durable, does not require a lot of maintenance, and doesn’t emit any toxic gases. It can also help you regulate your homes temperature. Same as with bamboo, you need to make sure you know where it is being shipped from to reduce your carbon footprint.
Concrete
This is the longest lasting material on the list. Made from rocks, clay, and sand, it is an Eco-friendly option that is extremely durable and long lasting. There are no scrap leftovers and uses resources already on site. They can also utilize sustainable materials such as limestone, fly ash and silica fumes making it an extremely sustainable flooring option.
Cork
Cork is environmentally friendly and comfortable due to the nature of the material. Cork trees do not need to be cut down either to create the cork, it comes from the bark. It is comfortable and renewable, what more could you want in a floor! A cork tree can be used for over 250 years and the flooring is actually made from recycled waste material from left over wine bottle corks making it extremely Eco-friendly.
Engineered Hardwood
Engineered hardwood is a more sustainable wood flooring choice than solid wood because hardwood trees grow slower, but the trees used to make the plywood core for engineered floors grow faster therefore only needing a small amount of slow growing hardwood.
Reclaimed Hardwood
This option is Eco-friendly by definition. It is essentially a recycled product. Reclaimed hardwood avoids having to harvest trees therefore lowering your footprint.
Pine Softwood
Pine is resilient and grows very quickly as it is considered a softwood, much faster than hardwood like oak and walnut. Pine is also much easier to source locally so no need to worry about carbon footprint involved in transport. Another plus is they are easy to refinish as they are soft, so even though they scratch quicker, they are easier to fix.
Laminate
Laminate is a surprisingly environmentally friendly floor that has been around for over 50 years. It consists of a base layer that is made of wood by product, the middle layer is made of embossed paper and then a thin sheet of plastic on the top to make it durable. Most of the time it looks like hardwood giving homeowners the look and feel of wood floors but with the added durability and cost savings.
Linoleum
Linoleum is making a comeback! It is made from 100% biodegradable materials like linseed oil, flax seed oil and pine resin. Comes in over 300 colours and designs and is durable and high quality. It is CO2 neutral, recyclable and allergy proof. Marmoleum is the most popular modern linoleum brand.
Vinyl
In past years, vinyl flooring was always a toxic alternative to wood but there are a few companies that now sell low VOC vinyl flooring and the fact that they are so durable, their lifespan is longer than other alternatives reducing their footprint (even though they cannot be recycled because they are plastic). There are WPC (wood polymer composite) and SPC (stone polymer composite), both are durable, waterproof, easy to care for and affordable.
Tile
Tile is another great choice for a safe and healthy home. When selecting tiles for your home, look for tiles made of natural materials like slate, limestone, or marble instead of synthetic materials like vinyl or rubber which can contain VOCs, it is worth doing your homework.
Water Efficiency Matters Too!
Another way to create an Eco-friendly home is by investing in water efficient fixtures such as low flow faucets and shower heads as well as duo flush toilets which allow you to save water when flushing liquid waste versus solid waste. Energy-efficient toilets use water velocity to remove waste instead of water volume. They can reduce toilet water usage by around 67%, or nearly 50,000 litres saved per year. Low flush toilets use less than 5 litres of water compared to the standard toilet which typically require 11 litres. The average household uses around 400 litres of water each day so reducing your daily use not only helps the environment but also saves money on utility bills too.
You can also go one step further and install a rainwater harvesting system. They are becoming increasingly popular due to their environmental and economic benefits as well as reducing the demand for municipal water, decreasing stormwater runoff, and providing a source of water for irrigation and other non-potable uses.
Safe and Non-Toxic Paint
Finally, making sure that you use paint with no VOCs or other toxins is an important step in creating a safe and healthy home environment. There are many non-toxic paints available from all the major paint companies which are free from volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These paints come in a variety of colors and finishes so it’s easy to find one that suits your needs without having to worry about any potential health risks associated with traditional paint products.
In Conclusion
Creating a safe and healthy home doesn’t have to be a daunting task! By choosing flooring materials wisely, investing in water efficient fixtures, using non-toxic paint products, and incorporating sustainable design features such as plants which help clean the air—you can easily create an eco-friendly home free from toxins and VOCs while also doing something good for the environment at the same time! So why wait? Get started on creating your own eco-friendly dream home today!
At GNAR Inc we are passionate about creating sustainable homes, let us know how we can help you bring your dream house to life. Call us at 604.962.1611 or email info@gnarinc.com for more information.
