The best news is that making green choices for your home does not have to compromise your taste! Green is definitely sexy! If the time has come to replace your existing floor or you are building a new home, it is also time to consider the best options for an environmentally friendly design project.



Some flooring materials are built specifically to be more environmentally conscious and others try but do not necessarily meet the green standards. If you have your heart set on having a particular flooring material for your home that is not an ideal ecological choice there are some things you can do to reduce your environmental footprint.

1. Hardwood: If Hardwood is your flooring material of choice take the time to ensure that your hardwood flooring manufacturer is using sustainable hardwood that is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).

Another tip for purchasing hardwood flooring is to choose domestic hardwood rather than exotic hardwood. This will aid in the energy and fuel consumption used in the transportation of such wood!

2. Manufacturer Location: When purchasing any flooring product try and purchase it from a manufacturer who is located less than 500 miles from your home! This will reduce your carbon footprint for fuel and energy consumption in the transportation of your floor.

3. Forest Stewardship Council: Like hardwood flooring, any wood-based flooring material should also be certified by the FSC. This green building certification program seeks to protect the world's forests by ensuring their practices are inline with environmental standards.

4. Zero/Low VOC's: Another key component in choosing a green flooring product is that the adhesives and finishes used to secure and seal the floor are environmentally sensitive. There are many products made today which are doing just that. Insist on using adhesives that have either a zero or very low Volatile Organic Compound emission. This will contribute to better air quality in your home!

5. Click Flooring: Anytime that you can purchase click flooring, where the need for glue and adhesives are unnecessary, do so. Although adhesives today are being made with lower toxic emissions not all installers will use such products. Click flooring does not usually require adhesives thus improving the indoor air quality of your home. Again, be aware of the finishing used on these floors for they can be toxic culprits as well.

6. Recycled Content: There are many green flooring innovators today making truly incredible flooring materials with recycled content. Some manufacturers are trying to do their part by reclaiming wood, leather, metal, glass and ceramics and turning them back into beautiful flooring planks and tiles. Whenever you can, look for products certified by the Scientific Certification Systems (SCS). They verify manufacturers that are using recycled content in their materials!

It is time that we all make the effort to choose more environmentally friendly materials for home renovations, and now we can do it while staying true to our aesthetic taste!