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You will find no pictures of
bamboo in this article. While “bamboo” has become virtually synonymous
with “environmentally friendly” in the popular
conception of eco-wise flooring options, it is not
necessarily so. Bamboo has been prized for its
quick-growing renewability, but this one fact
has come to overshadow other, perhaps more
sinister, factors involved in its production. For
instance, bamboo may well be a fast-growing,
self-renewing product, but if a whole hardwood
forest is clear cut to make room for a
plot of bamboo mono-culture, then the renewability
factor is lost. If the bamboo is manufactured
in a factory in South-East Asia (as
most is), what do you know about the working
conditions in that factory? And because of the
polyurethane finishes that are put on most
flooring, the question of toxicity also arises.
There are a lot of factors to weigh and consider
when trying to choose a “green” flooring
product for a new home or remodel. These
include questions about a material’s efficient
and responsible use of renewable resources,
how much recycled and recyclable content
is used, what the V.O.C. rating is (volatile
organic compound emissions which include
formaldehyde-based adhesives and polyurethane
finishes), how durable the flooring is,
and how socially responsible the manufacturing
company is.
Environmental responsibility is close to the
hearts of both Aaron and Pip Conrad, owners
of First Street Flooring. Both have spent time
in previous years working on conservation
projects overseas; and now at home in Salida,“we’re always trying to bring more of a ‘green’ niche into our store,” says Aaron. “More
people are asking for it.” The Conrads recently
traveled to the Green Build Expo in Denver
to research more environmentally-minded
flooring offerings, and have a lot of knowledge
and products to share.
In addition to a rising public social consciousness,
many companies have also begun to
realize that there is an economic benefit for
themselves if they comply with stricter environmental
standards, due to the LEED
program (Leadership Energy & Environmental
Design, a rating system of green building
standards sponsored by the U.S. Green Building
Council) . These two factors are helping
to drive the entire market towards a more
environmentally-friendly stance.
Among the many products that could be
considered “green,” on one or more points, the
Conrads point to cork flooring, wool carpeting
and Marmoleum linoleum as the most “green” products they currently offer. All three are
made with natural elements, are durable and
have low V.O.C. emissions.. They noted that
the trend seems to be reverting back from the
world of plastics to “older” options, sustainable
natural materials that have been in use for
hundreds of years. |
Marmoleum is a 100% natural linoleum,
composed of linseed oil (from flax), wood flour,
rosins, natural pigments and a jute-fiber backing,
which is quite different from the vinyl
products that are often sold as “linoleum”.
Essentially, Aaron notes, this could almost
be chopped-up and used as compost in your
garden. The flooring comes in 18 colors and
clicks together to form a floating floor, so there
is no off-gassing from glue, no nails and it is
easy to install.
Cork flooring is made from the bark of the
Cork Oak tree, which can be sustainably harvested
up to 16 times during its 150 - 200-year
life cycle (or, approximately every 9 years). A
company of note that is carried by First Street
Flooring is Wicanders, who owns and harvests
its own cork forest in Portugal, actively working
to minimize their environmental impact.
Their primary product is cork stoppers; the
flooring is made as a by-product of the leftovers.
Cork is durable and yet soft to stand on
- and, let’s not forget, beautiful.
For carpeting options, wool is the most natural
choice, which is incredibly soft and durable.
Most other synthetic carpets, the Conrads
note, are really just trying to simulate the look
and feel of wool. However, there are a growing
number of responsible choices in the world
of carpet. P.E.T. (Polyethylene terephthalate)
carpets are made from ground-up recycled
plastic bottles, spun into a fiber and woven
into their new life as carpeting. There is also
a relatively new recycled “Anco” nylon carpet
fiber, and scheduled to arrive this fall (2008),
Shaw is expected to release a new carpet
made with up to 40% corn.
For the home owner who loves hardwood
floors, Lyptus makes beautiful flooring out of
a Eucalyptus hybrid in a number of fine colors
and finishes. This is a proven environmentally-
responsible company; they harvest the
eucalyptus trees in Brazil, which are quick growing
and can be harvested only 16 years
after planting. The plantations from which
they source are certified by CERFLOR, Brazil’s
national sustainable forestry standard. If
a customer is bent on more traditional hardwood
floors, the Conrads suggest at least looking
for a F.S.C. (Forest Stewardship Council)
stamp, which ensures that the company has
met certain harvesting and forest management
standards (fscus.org).
Above all, the Conrads urge consumers to
research products and companies to truly
find out where a product is coming from and
exactly how “sustainable” it is. “They can
label it any way they want,” notes Aaron, but
the “green” truth can be found through a little
bit of research. And if you don’t have time or
energy to do your own, a visit with Pip and
Aaron at First Street Flooring would be an
excellent place to start.
by Karen Weinsheimer |
