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    FLOORING
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      • Why we don't sell luxury vinyl tile!
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      • How to Buy a Green Floor: 7 Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
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  • non-toxic
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      Learning Center

      • The Truth About Paint
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      • How do I know if a product is really safe?
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      Learning Center

      • All About Mold
      • How to Improve Energy Performance with the Electric Meter
      • PowerCost Monitor FAQ
      • Basic Principles of Composting
      • Using Marmoleum for Countertops and Wainscotings
      • Can a wood butcher block countertop be permanently sealed?
      • Sustainable Solutions to Common Problems
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  • healthy
    CLEANERS
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      • AFM Safecoat
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      • Sustainable Solutions to Common Problems
      • What is the safest primer to use to get rid of tobacco smells in a home?
      • Blissfully Clean 100% Satisfaction Guarantee
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    ALL DEPARTMENTS
    • Sustainable Flooring

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      • Polyurethane Sealers
      •  
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      • Brushes & Trowels
      •  
      •  
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      Eco Home Goods

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      • View All Eco Home Goods

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      • Non-Toxic Kitchens
      • View All Cabinets & Countertops

      Energy, Water & Air

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      • Insulation
      • Composters
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      Healthy Cleaners

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      • View All Healthy Cleaners

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      • AFM Safecoat
      • Amorim
      • Bioshield
      • Blissfully Clean
      • Brava
      • Caliwel
      • Chemlink
      • Crystal Cabinets
      • Core Products HydrOxi Pro
      • DriTac
      • Earth Weave
      • EcoFusion
      • ECOS Paints
      • EcoStar
      • Forbo Marmoleum
      • Franmar
      • Green Building Supply
      • Gulf Synthetics
      • Kahrs
      • Natural Light Energy Systems
      • Paperstone
      • PerfectCLEAN Cloths
      • Rubio Monocoat
      • Teragren
      • Tesoro Woods
      • Unique Carpets, Ltd.
      • Wicanders
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      • View All Trusted Brands

      Top Articles

      • Why Is Our Flooring Different?
      • Why we don't sell luxury vinyl tile!
      • How to Buy a Green Floor: 7 Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
      • The Truth About Paint
      • AFM Safecoat Sealers for Off-Gassing
      • ECOS Non-Toxic, Zero VOC Paint
      • How do I know if a product is really safe?
      • How to Test a New Product for Chemical Sensitivity
      • All About Mold
      • Sustainable Solutions to Common Problems
      • Samples

      Learning Center Categories

      • Flooring
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  • Call or Text 800-405-0222
  • FLOORING
    • Bamboo Flooring

      • Solid Bamboo Flooring
      • Engineered Bamboo Flooring
      • Floating & Click Bamboo Flooring
      • Tongue & Groove Bamboo Flooring
      • Bamboo Molding
      • Underlayment for Bamboo
      • View All Bamboo Flooring

      Hardwood Flooring

      • Hardwood Molding
      • Underlayment for Hardwood
      • View All Hardwood Flooring

      Cork Flooring

      • Waterproof Cork Flooring
      • Traditional Cork Flooring
      • Cork Molding
      • Moisture Barrier and Adhesive for Cork
      • Cork Underlayment
      • View All Cork Flooring

      Accessories

      • Tools & Supplies
      • Underlayment

      Marmoleum

      • Floating Click Marmoleum
      • Sheet - Glue Down
      • Tile - Glue Down
      • Underlayment and Adhesives for Marmoleum
      • View All Marmoleum

      Wool Carpet

      • Wall to Wall Wool Carpet
      • Wool Area Rugs
      • Carpet Pad
      • View All Wool Carpet

      Trusted Brands

      • Amorim
      • DriTac
      • Earth Weave
      • EcoFusion
      • Forbo Marmoleum
      • Kahrs
      • Nature's Carpet
      • Nova
      • Teragren
      • Tesoro Woods
      • Unique Carpets, Ltd.
      • Wicanders
      • View All Trusted Brands

      Shop By

      • Click Flooring
      • Waterproof Flooring
      • Oil Finish Flooring
      • Polyurethane Finish Flooring
      • Floating Flooring
      • Engineered Flooring
      • Laminate Flooring
      • Vinyl Flooring

      Learning Center

      • Why we don't sell luxury vinyl tile!
      • Why Is Our Flooring Different?
      • How to Buy a Green Floor: 7 Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
      • Bamboo Flooring Buyer's Guide
      • Marmoleum Buyer's Guide
      • View All Learning Center
  • PAINTS & COATING
    • Non-Toxic Paints & Coatings

      • Paints & Primers
      • Strippers & Thinners
      • Plasters & Pigments
      • Caulks, Sealants & Adhesives
      •  
      •  
      • Hardwood Floor Finish
      • Wood Stains & Sealers
      • Odor Blocking Sealers
      • Grout Sealers
      • Concrete & Masonry Sealers
      • Polyurethane Sealers
      •  
      •  
      • Brushes & Trowels
      •  
      •  
      • View All Non-Toxic Paints & Coatings

      Trusted Brands

      • AFM Safecoat
      • Bioshield
      • Caliwel
      • Chemlink
      • ECOS Paints
      • Franmar
      • Green Building Supply
      • Gulf Synthetics
      • Paperstone
      • Pro-Lab
      • Radiosity
      • Rubio Monocoat
      • Silacote
      • Vermont Natural Coatings
      •  
      •  
      • View All Trusted Brands

      Learning Center

      • The Truth About Paint
      • AFM Safecoat Sealers for Off-Gassing
      • ECOS Non-Toxic, Zero VOC Paint
      • How do I know if a product is really safe?
      • How to Test a New Product for Chemical Sensitivity
      • Samples
  • HOME GOODS
    • Energy, Water & Air

      • Lighting
      • Tubular Skylights
      • Test Kits & Energy Monitors
      • Insulation
      • Composters
      • Water Purification
      • Toilets & Urinals
      • View All Energy, Water & Air

      Eco Home Goods

      • Cutting Boards
      • Utensils
      • View All Eco Home Goods

      Cabinets & Countertops

      • Cabinets
      • Countertops
      • Non-Toxic Kitchens
      • View All Cabinets & Countertops

      Building Materials

      • Roofing
      • Sheet Goods
      • View All Building Materials

      Trusted Brands

      • AquaRain
      • Brava
      • EcoStar
      • Natural Light Energy Systems
      • Pro-Lab
      • Radiosity
      • Sun-Mar
      • View All Trusted Brands

      Learning Center

      • All About Mold
      • How to Improve Energy Performance with the Electric Meter
      • PowerCost Monitor FAQ
      • Basic Principles of Composting
      • Using Marmoleum for Countertops and Wainscotings
      • Can a wood butcher block countertop be permanently sealed?
      • Sustainable Solutions to Common Problems
      • Is solid wood T-1-11 safe for interior use?
      • View All Learning Center
  • CLEANERS
    • Healthy Cleaners

      • Household
      • Floor
      • Mold & Mildew
      • Body Soaps
      • View All Healthy Cleaners

      Blissfully Clean

      • Extra Sponges
      • PerfectCLEAN Cloths
      • View All Blissfully Clean

      Trusted Brands

      • AFM Safecoat
      • Bioshield
      • Blissfully Clean
      • Caliwel
      • Comsentech
      • Core Products HydrOxi Pro
      • Forbo Marmoleum
      • Franmar
      • Green Building Supply
      • Paperstone
      • PerfectCLEAN
      • Pro-Lab
      • Rubio Monocoat
      • Woodwise
      • Wools of New Zealand
      •  
      •  
      • View All Trusted Brands

      Learning Center

      • Sustainable Solutions to Common Problems
      • What is the safest primer to use to get rid of tobacco smells in a home?
      • Blissfully Clean 100% Satisfaction Guarantee
      • Samples
      • View All Learning Center
  • ALL DEPARTMENTS
    • Sustainable Flooring

      • Bamboo Flooring
      • Hardwood Flooring
      • Cork Flooring
      • Marmoleum
      • Wool Carpet
      • Tools & Supplies
      • Underlayment
      • View All Sustainable Flooring

      Non-Toxic Paints & Coatings

      • Paints & Primers
      • Strippers & Thinners
      • Plasters & Pigments
      • Caulks, Sealants & Adhesives
      •  
      •  
      • Hardwood Floor Finish
      • Wood Stains & Sealers
      • Odor Blocking Sealers
      • Grout Sealers
      • Concrete & Masonry Sealers
      • Polyurethane Sealers
      •  
      •  
      • Brushes & Trowels
      •  
      •  
      • View All Non-Toxic Paints & Coatings

      Eco Home Goods

      • Cutting Boards
      • Utensils
      • View All Eco Home Goods

      Cabinets & Countertops

      • Cabinets
      • Countertops
      • Non-Toxic Kitchens
      • View All Cabinets & Countertops

      Energy, Water & Air

      • Lighting
      • Tubular Skylights
      • Test Kits & Energy Monitors
      • Insulation
      • Composters
      • Water Purification
      • Toilets & Urinals
      • View All Energy, Water & Air

      Healthy Cleaners

      • Household
      • Floor
      • Mold & Mildew
      • Body Soaps
      • View All Healthy Cleaners

      Blissfully Clean

      • Extra Sponges
      • PerfectCLEAN Cloths
      • View All Blissfully Clean

      Building Materials

      • Roofing
      • Sheet Goods
      • View All Building Materials

      Shop By

      • Customer Favorites
      • Featured
      • On Sale
      • New Arrivals
      • Free Shipping

      Top Trusted Brands

      • AFM Safecoat
      • Amorim
      • Bioshield
      • Blissfully Clean
      • Brava
      • Caliwel
      • Chemlink
      • Crystal Cabinets
      • Core Products HydrOxi Pro
      • DriTac
      • Earth Weave
      • EcoFusion
      • ECOS Paints
      • EcoStar
      • Forbo Marmoleum
      • Franmar
      • Green Building Supply
      • Gulf Synthetics
      • Kahrs
      • Natural Light Energy Systems
      • Paperstone
      • PerfectCLEAN Cloths
      • Rubio Monocoat
      • Teragren
      • Tesoro Woods
      • Unique Carpets, Ltd.
      • Wicanders
      •  
      •  
      • View All Trusted Brands

      Top Articles

      • Why Is Our Flooring Different?
      • Why we don't sell luxury vinyl tile!
      • How to Buy a Green Floor: 7 Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
      • The Truth About Paint
      • AFM Safecoat Sealers for Off-Gassing
      • ECOS Non-Toxic, Zero VOC Paint
      • How do I know if a product is really safe?
      • How to Test a New Product for Chemical Sensitivity
      • All About Mold
      • Sustainable Solutions to Common Problems
      • Samples

      Learning Center Categories

      • Flooring
      • Paints & Coatings
      • Cabinets & Countertops
      • Cleaners
      • Energy, Water & Air
      • Building Materials
      • Featured Articles
      • In the News
      • Green Home Guide Articles
      • Green, Greenwashing & Chemical Sensitivities
      • Webinars
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Green, Greenwashing & Chemical Sensitivities

What Makes a Product Green?

by Joel Hirshberg

When we want to know if a product is 'green' we need to look beyond the label.

Questions to ask
  • Where does the product come from?
  • Does it deplete the environment during production and transportation?
  • Is it a renewable resource or not?
  • What chemicals does it contain or not contain?
  • How does it affect human health and the environment during and after production and installation?
  • What is the environmental impact on a building's operation?
  • and so on.
Real life examples

Answering these questions may not be as easy as it seems. Here are a few real life examples:

Example #1: A product may be natural and renewable, yet comes from an underdeveloped nation where work conditions are unhealthy, production is inefficient or wastes energy, and transportation methods deplete the environment. Can we consider it 'green'?

Example #2: A product is considered safe by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or may have a 'green' label, yet it contains known toxins and causes headaches to certain occupants. How 'green' is that?

Example #3: A toxic product may be used in a manner that is 'green'.

The bottom line

Obviously, there's much debate about this topic. Even so, it is generally agreed that using 'green' building materials will:

  • Improve the health of the occupants
  • Protect our natural ecosystems and resources
  • Reduce energy consumption

According to a 1984 World Health Org. report, up to 30% of new and remodeled buildings worldwide are the subject of excessive complaints related to indoor air quality. Sick Building syndrome, as defined by the EPA, is a term coined to describe situations in which building occupants experience acute health and comfort effects that appear to be linked to time spent in a building, but no specific illness or cause can be identified.

The major causes of these problems can be solved through adequate ventilation, removal of chemical contaminants from indoor and outdoor sources, removal of biological contaminants, and removal of other irritating pollutants. There are some excellent books on this subject as well as many good websites.

Below is a short list of products that we sell and why they are considered "green".

1. Products made from natural materials that are renewable resources:
Bamboo flooring, Cork flooring, Natural Linoleum, Natural Stone, Solid Wood Cabinetry, Furniture, and Doors, Clay and Copper roofing tile.

2. Products that do not contain pollutants:
Non-toxic solvent-free paints, primers, sealers, stains, oil and polyurethane finishes, adhesives.

3. Products that reduce environmental impacts during construction, renovation, or demolition:
Formaldehyde sealers for wood products and carpeting.

4. Products that reduce environmental impacts of building operation:
Energy efficient windows, skylights, solar attic fans, energy efficient appliances and lighting, radiant in-floor heating, insulating window coverings, and cotton insulation.

5. Products that contribute to a safe, healthy indoor environment:
Non-toxic cleaners, sealers, adhesives, full spectrum lighting, cotton insulation, solar attic fans, all wood cabinetry and doors, and natural flooring.

Copyright © 2004-2011 Joel Hirshberg     All rights reserved.


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Green Building Supply, founded in 1991, continues to be the nation's trusted source for the best non-toxic and eco-friendly building materials. We specialize in products that are safe for everyone—including the chemically sensitive—as well as safe for pets and the environment.

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