Environmentally Friendly Flooring Products

You can build a more green lifestyle from the ground up, starting with the floors in your house. Did you know that pollution can be up to five times higher in your home than it is outside? Many people suffering from allergies and asthma are surprised to find that many of the irritants that make their conditions worse have been traced back to the substances in their home. Many of the pollutants in your home's air can be traced back to your carpeting. Traditional wall to wall carpeting is manufactured using petroleum based chemicals in factories that produce tons of greenhouse gases each year.

Volatile organic compounds like benzene and formaldehyde can be released into the air when your new carpets are installed. Other chemicals that are used during the carpet manufacturing process are toluene, methacrylate acid and styrene. These chemicals can linger in your home for years. According to health care professionals, chemicals in new carpeting can cause a multitude of symptoms, including hair loss, fatigue, nose bleeds, depression, irritability and flu-like symptoms.

In addition to bringing noxious chemicals into your home during installation, carpets can also trap pesticides from lawns, pollen and other allergens inside your home. Vacuuming and carpet shampooing can not remove the residues that these chemicals leave behind. They can build up in your body and cause illness. Many of the chemicals have been linked to certain types of cancer.

There are many environmentally friendly flooring options that can reduce indoor pollution and can help relieve symptoms that may be caused by toxins in your carpeting. Carpets and other types of flooring that are made from recycled and other environmentally friendly materials can reduce toxin-related symptoms. Flooring that is made from recyclable materials can be just as stylish and durable as conventional flooring and can be less expensive as well as easier to maintain.

When looking for environmentally friendly carpeting, choose carpets that are made from 100 percent wool or from vegetable dyed yarn. Vegetable dyes come in many bright colors and are healthier for the environment and for you. There are also carpeting options that are made from recycled plastic bottles. When choosing carpet pad backing, look for padding that is made from recycled materials or from 100 percent cotton. When it comes to installation, choose a water based glue or skip the glue altogether and go with carpet tacks, which have been shown to be as effective at securing carpet as toxic glues and fixatives.

Eventually, even the best maintained carpet will need to be replaced. Unfortunately it can be hard to find an environmentally friendly way to dispose of your carpeting. Carpets can last for over 20,000 years in a landfill. Every year there are 1.8 million tons of carpets and rugs that are thrown away. If possible, try to buy new carpeting from an installer that will recycle your carpet or donate it to the less fortunate. Every square yard of carpet that is donated or recycled is kept out of landfills where they will likely never break down. If they do break down in a landfill, the toxic chemicals used to produce the carpets will leach into the ground before making their way into the public water supply.

Of course, you can skip the carpeting and go with another environmentally friendly flooring option. Traditional hardwood flooring that comes from a sustainable forest is a good option, as is cork. Cork provides insulation from temperature extremes and noise. Because cork floors are hypoallergenic, they are also suitable for people with asthma. Cork floors are made from the bark of the cork oak tree, which reaches maturity in just three years.

Another sustainable flooring material option is bamboo. It is harder than both northern red oak and maple and it lasts longer. Bamboo also grows fast, so bamboo floors are sustainable. Bamboo can be found in a variety flooring patterns. Bamboo floors are also easy to maintain and and can be stained a variety if different colors.

Floors are not the only source of chemicals and pollutants in your home. Your mattress can also make a big impact on your home environment. Conventional mattresses are treated with PBDEs to make them flame retardant. Recent studies have shown that the PBDEs accumulate in both blood and breast milk, which could harm developing fetuses.

Federal regulations require that all mattresses meet fire safety regulations including resisting open flame and cigarette burns, but PBDEs are not the only way to meet federal regulations. Mattresses made from organic cotton and wool or from natural latex can all meet the strictest federal guidelines for fire safety, are made from sustainable materials and offer fire protection with harmful synthetic chemicals. Different types of fire retardants include a cotton-silica barrier and natural rubber.

Your furniture can even play an impact on making your home more green. Living a life more green does not mean being stuck with boring furniture or spending a fortune and breaking your budget. Furniture that is made from wood that is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council is available at many big box retailers, including Target. The style for much of the environmentally friendly furniture available is modern or contemporary, but there are a few companies that offer traditional furniture with FCS certified wood. Bamboo furniture is also becoming more available.

Sofas and chairs can have frames made from sustainable wood or bamboo and be upholstered with organic cotton or hemp. Couches are available with foam that has been made from recycled plastic bottles. Throw pillows and curtains are available in hemp and organic cotton. They come in a wide variety of vegetable an water based dyed colors and styles to fit in with any décor.

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