People want to help save the planet and one way to do that is to start at home. Using "green," or environmentally friendly, building materials is a growing trend in home renovation. Green building can be fun and easy and can help you save money.
Instructions
1. Decide how environmentally friendly you want your renovation to be. You have several options including using recycled materials, sustainable materials and local materials. You can also ensure your building materials are green by making sure they don't contain toxins.
2. Choose flooring that doesn't kill any new trees. For sustainable flooring, try bamboo or natural cork. Both bamboo and cork grow quickly, so harvesting them doesn't do the kind of damage that cutting down trees do. You can also try using natural linoleum, such as Marmoleum. It's made of natural products like linseed and jute and comes in a variety of colors. If you do want wood floors, use reclaimed wood flooring.
3. Use green building materials for house surfaces like counters and cabinets. Many surface materials contain formaldehyde and other chemicals that are responsible for putting toxic chemicals into the air. Go green by choosing counter tops made of composite materials like glass or paper; using recycled tiles, bamboo, stone and concrete. For cabinets, use lumber with the Forest Stewardship Council logo to make sure the manufacturers used sustainably harvested wood.
4. Paint with environmentally friendly paints. These paints don't contain toxins regular paints do, so you not only avoid polluting the environment, you also improve your air quality. Plus, these paints are available in a wide assortment of colors, so you don't have to sacrifice design quality.
5. Shop locally when you renovate whenever possible. Every time you keep from shipping something, you save gas and reduce pollution.
6. Check online to find green building resources. Some websites like BuildingGreen.com and Green Building Supply focus entirely on the green building movement.
Tags: environmentally friendly, building materials, contain toxins, help save, using recycled