Environmentally Friendly Flooring.
by arbourrealty.com on January 14, 2009
Green products, environmentally focused household appliances, renewable energy systems, green realtors, and home builders are just a few of the things that people are considering these days to help the global fight to save mother earth. We worry about harmful chemicals in our homes, and choice detergents, paint and other household products accordingly. But what about your homes flooring, and the impact producing and manufacturing it has on the environment?
When I think about the environment and flooring, I know it is important to buy a product that is durable, will not be need to be replaced for many years to come and that has been produced with the least impact on the environment. There are already many options available but what about something different. Then I read an article about Cork and Bamboo being used for flooring alternatives.
Bamboo is an Asian grass that matures in seven years, making its harvest very sustainable. After milling, drying and finishing, bamboo is harder than teak, according to Jerry Steele, owner of The Carpet Line in Boulder, CO, in a recent article in Living Green Online Magazine. Steele also explains that cork is super-resilient, waterproof, and maintenance-free. Most of the world’s cork comes from Portugal’s cork oak trees. Cork is the tree bark, sustainably harvested about once a decade, and is made into sheets for floor tiles. Cork has been used in Europe for over 100 years and both cork and bamboo flooring costs about $ 5-7 per square foot for the materials.
I am always interested to hear about new environmentally friendly alternatives for the home, please feel free to make some suggestions.
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