Planet Green, those eco-people who bring us Planet Green TV and Treehugger.com among other eco-wonderful sites, has done it again. This time they’re making our building and renovating choices easier.
They’ve come up with a new Green Materials Guide. It’s a fabulous source for information on wall coverings, flooring, insulation, windows, heating and cooling, bathrooms, kitchens and general green building techniques.
For example, do you know how to pick the right paint? According to the Green Materials Guide, “… paint can also be a way to add toxic airborne chemicals to your home… if you choose the wrong ones.” So it’s more than just eggshell vs. eggplant. It’s low or no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) vs. painting with toxic airborne chemicals.
“VOCs are the enemy. They come primarily from the pigment used to color the paint, and, as soon as the paint is exposed to air, they volatilize (sort of like evaporation) into the air, contributing to some serious indoor air pollution.”
The Green Materials Guide can direct you to the best choices available today to avoid these toxins.
Check out their buying guide for interior paint and more painting tips. GreenSeal also has a good list of safe, healthy paints.
Upward and onward, do you know the first thing about buying green kitchen cabinetry? Well, the Green Materials Guide has you covered. They explain the pros and cons of solid wood cabinets, bamboo, engineered and particle board cabinets. Did you know that the glue in a lot of particle board cabinets contains formaldehyde? That doesn’t make for healthy indoor air. But don’t worry, the Guide will walk you through all your choices.
Don’t settle for materials that negatively impact our planet, consult the Green Materials Guide before you start your next green home project.
Wendy Gabriel is a green living freelance writer, her work has been published by the Chicago Sun-Times, Atlanta Journal Constitution, Reuters and Fox News. She is the owner of My Green Side.org, a columnist for Examiner.com and a weekly on-air contributor to The Christopher Gabriel Program. You can listen to her Wednesdays on AM970 WDAY where she talks about Simple Tips for Green Living.
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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Go Wendy! This resource guide sounds really helpful.
Great move adding Wendy to the Twilight Earth team!
Bethe
We think so too. Wendy is going to bring a lot insight and quality to our readers. We couldn’t be happier!
Great article! How useful to have this Green Materials Guide. Information and awareness give people choices– green choices, which are the way to go!
Wendy is a terrific writer and will be a tremendous addition to an already superb website. Am I biased? Yes. Does it matter? No. Wendy’s work doesn’t need my validation. For that matter, neither do her brownies with walnuts…have I told you how good these things are?