eco-FABULOUS

Go Green!” is a message that seems to be everywhere. The movement towards a healthier planet is no longer limited to a small group of environmentalists. Everyday people are realizing the need for using materials that are kinder to our personal and global environments. You may want to take part but wonder how you can fit eco-friendly elements into your existing home and lifestyle. The best way to bring Green into your life is to start small. Many companies are answering the demand for more natural and safer products that are eco-and-bank-account friendly.

If Walls Could Talk

Jack O’Neil of Kelly Moore in Concord says they have long been an innovator and leader in Green options for paint. “Kelly Moore introduced E-Coat almost 21 years ago. It’s nicknamed the “earthquake paint” because when the 1989 earthquake hit, huge drums of paint spilled all over our San Carlos plant. We recycled that paint and E-Coat was born.”

E-Coat is made from a minimum of 50% post-consumer waste. For example, if a commercial project has a large quantity of leftover paint, it can be shipped to Kelly Moore’s Sacramento plant where it is recycled into new paint. You know when you try to match paint to a certain color and it doesn’t come out quite right the first time? Rather than throwing it out, Kelly Moore remanufactures that mistinted paint and recycles 99% of returned paint. E-Coat is an excellent and affordable choice for use in places that are occupied during application, such as health care facilities and schools. The proof of this recycling program is in the landfill. Actually, the proof is what isn’t in the landfill…like several thousand tons of solid waste! Another plus is the conservation of millions of gallons of water.

Kelly Moore’s Enviro-Coat, which first came out as a low-VOC paint over 10 years ago, became a zero-VOC product in 2008. Volatile organic compounds, or VOC’s, are emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids. VOC’s include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have short- and long-term adverse health effects. According to the EPA, concentrations of many VOC’s are up to ten times higher indoors than outdoors, largely due to toxic emissions by paints and finishes. 

 “The awareness of living Green has really taken off in the past few years,” Jack explains. “The demand for eco-friendly paint began with architects and contractors working on commercial jobs like hospitals, nursing homes, and schools. They needed a product that didn’t have the unpleasant fumes that typical paints carry.” Enviro-Coat, and its commercial counterpart, Green Coat, offers low odor, easy clean up, and mildew-resistance in addition to zero-VOC’s. “Not only is it kinder to the environment,” Jack notes, “It’s also kinder to folks who suffer from asthma and allergies.”  

The California Water Environment Association honored Kelly Moore’s efforts for taking proactive steps to manufacture quality products with the least possible impact on the environment. “We are proud to say that not one drop of water that falls on our San Carlos factory campus goes to waste,” Jack notes.

Floor It

After you’ve turned your walls Green, turn your attention to the floor. You may already know that cork, bamboo and wool carpet are eco-friendly options but there are some exciting new choices in environmental flooring. Carpet One’s Green Select initiative represents their commitment to making our environment better  through their relationships with customers, suppliers and their employees. They are continually working with vendors to produce flooring that meets strict eco-friendly standards. Carpet One carries products that have earned their Green Select label, which means they are recyclable, contain a minimum of recycled material and/or are made from a natural, sustainable, quickly renewable resource.   

 “Mohawk carpet’s SmartStrand technology is made up of 37% renewable resources such as corn that give it a softer feel than nylons or polyesters,” says Laurie DeSimone of Carpet One in Livermore.The SmartStrand fibers have really good stain protection so cleaning up those spills is less of a headache. Another great option is Anderson Hardwood. They only harvest wood from professionally managed forests that are under the Sustainable Forestry Initiative. Laurie says Anderson will actually plant a tree in your honor in one of America’s Heritage Forests when you purchase an Anderson hardwood product! Their motto is “Replace what you take. Follow the rules and leave the place better than how you found it. That’s what it means to be Green.”  

The latest innovation is leather flooring, which is made from 100% recycled leather and comes in plank or tile form. Torlys Leather Floors, available at Carpet One, contain no harmful VOC emissions, no added formaldehyde and exceed California Indoor Air Quality standards, among the most stringent in the world. It is made from the scraps of leather that are left over from making belts, purses, and car interiors. It is as durable as hardwood and is absolutely beautiful on the floor.

Laurie points out that Green flooring is becoming more and more in demand as word gets out about the growing variety and options that are available. “If a homeowner can buy a floor that they love and know that it is also eco-friendly, it makes them feel that much better about their purchase,” says Laurie. 

To find out how to add color to your home without the toxins, visit Kelly Moore at their Web site http://www.kellymoore.com. To go Green on the floor, visit Carpet One at 1917 First Street in Livermore, call them at (888) 291-4418, or visit their Web site at http://www.carpetonelivermore.com. For more tips on Going Green, check out http://www.treehugger.com and http://www.gogreenonline.com.