Decorating Your Natural Home
(Page 5 of 6)
July/August 2006
By Misty McNally
■ Recycled-glass tile (n/d) keeps beverage bottles out of the landfill. And glass can be recycled into glass over and over again. Eventually, glass will disintegrate into sand, from whence it came.
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■ Composites (n/d/g) incorporate byproducts such as crop wastes, sawdust or recycled paper. Although most composite countertops rely on synthetic resins as binders, they’re an improvement on conventional solid-surface countertops made from acrylics, vinyl and other petroleum products.
Flooring
Practically any material, from wool carpets to stone, can go underfoot. Because floors are especially prone to scratches and stains, select a durable, washable surface for any high-traffic area.
■ Wood (s/n/r) flooring can be reclaimed and reused; there are many retailers of salvaged wood flooring nationwide. If you’re purchasing new wood flooring, look for certification of sustainable forestry practices from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSCUS.org).
■ Bamboo (n/r) won’t last as long as wood but is regenerated much more quickly than trees. There is no widely accepted method to ensure sustainable bamboo farming and fair trade practices were followed, and most bamboo is from Asia. Look for companies that can verify where and how the bamboo plantations were managed. Some bamboo flooring uses toxic urea-formaldehyde as a binder, so search out formaldehyde-free brands.
■ Cork (n/r/d) flooring is made from bark stripped from cork oak trees (which doesn’t harm the trees), that are sustainably managed through strict cooperatives. Almost all cork is produced in Europe.
■ Natural linoleum (n/r) is made from renewable linseed (from the flax plant), pine resin, wood and sometimes limestone. The material also has antimicrobial properties. Squares or sections are easy to replace if damaged, and they eventually biodegrade if sent to the landfill.
■ Ceramic tile (s/n/d) is produced from clay fired at high temperatures, so it has high embodied energy—but it’s tough, inert and easy to clean. Salvaged tile may be easy to find at construction exchanges. The grout must be sealed to avoid deterioration.
■ Stone (n) is natural, but it’s nonrenewable. Avoid quarried stone that leaves a scarred earth and instead opt for collected field stones. You may need to seal the stone to avoid staining.
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