I gave up my wall-to-wall carpeting because I got tired of cleaning it all the time. Even when we all took our shoes off at the door, the carpet never seemed clean. That led to a lot of vacuuming! And when it needed to be washed, which it did a couple of times a year, it actually made me sick. Many carpet cleansers contain volatile chemicals that cause serious allergic reactions. I got what I thought was the flu once when it was just a very serious reaction to the chemicals in the carpet cleaning solution.

(You can read all about it in “How Carpet Cleaning Almost Killed Me!“)

Once I decided to replace my carpeting with wood, I wanted the most eco friendly wood floor option available. I chose wood rather than tile because tile can get so cold; unless you’re in the tropics, tile is better suited for a bathroom or kitchen than a living room. Here’s something else I learned: wood offers seven times better insulation than ceramic tiles. That could save me money on my energy bill.

I didn’t want cork, either, because I was re-flooring my entire great room: a living room/dining room space that just wouldn’t work if it was all cork. Also, I had teenagers home at the time and I knew how hard they could be on floors.

Besides, I just liked the cozy look of wood flooring.

Now that I’ve gone through the process of re-flooring my space (pictured below), I wanted to share some tips with you if you’re thinking of doing the same thing. They’re brought to you by Lifestyle Flooring UK and Kährs, a European company committed to sustainability and PVC-free flooring. (Here’s another thing I like about Kährs: they have an entirely solvent-free production process to minimize the use and disposal of toxic chemicals during production).

Consider Using Reclaimed or Upcycled Wood Flooring – This is not the cheapest option by any means. But it’s among the most eco friendly. That’s because it uses wood that’s been reclaimed from an old barn, warehouse, house, even horse fence. (There’s a lot of wood reclaiming going on in some of Detroit’s neighborhoods, where a the city’s renaissance is leading to all kinds of usable goods being recovered from abandoned homes and buildings). It doesn’t involve new trees or the production of new wood.

Choose Wood From Forests That Meet FSC Standards – The Forest Stewardship Council, or FSC, is an international group that promotes “environmentally sound, socially beneficial, and economically prosperous management of the world’s forests. responsible forest management.” FSC-certified forests are supposed to protect water quality, prohibit harvesting of rare old-growth forests, prevent loss of natural forest cover and prohibit use of highly hazardous chemicals. For example, FSC prohibits the use of the pesticide atrazine because it has been shown to cause water pollution and birth defects.

Look For Floors That Can Contribute to Your LEED Certification – LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. LEED-rated buildings save energy, water, and resources, generate less waste, and support human health. Having a LEED-certified home increases its market value, too.

Avoid Wood Processed With Toxic Chemicals to Protect Your Indoor Air – Kährs, for example, uses a water-based lacquer system to reduce emissions. Other chemicals to avoid, especially in pressed wood flooring, are volatile glues and formaldehyde. Some flooring planks are made that allow the boards to mechanically lock together, rather than need glue.

Support Manufacturers The Minimize Waste –Kährs sends waste wood, saw dust, bark, and wood chips to a local energy company. It claims that around 6,150 Swedish homes per year heat their homes using recycled wood waste.

By the way, whatever floor you install, make sure to finish it with a zero VOC (volatile organic compound) finish. That way, you’ll avoid nasty fumes that could pollute your indoor air and make your sick. I used a water-based finish on mine and wasn’t sick for a minute!

Non-Toxic Wood Floor Care

Once you do install your floor, it’s easy to take care of in a non-toxic way. I’ve pulled together my five best suggestions for you in this post:

My Top 5 Secrets to Non-Toxic Wood Floor Care

Here’s a Final Recommendation: Recycle Your Carpet!

We found a facility near our home that would take all our carpet and recycle it into new materials. That was great, because most carpeting and padding can be recycled into new products. You can go here to find a place near you that will accept carpeting for recycling.

NOTE: Partnering with sponsors helps us bring you the expert content you need to lead the greener life you want. All editorial opinions remain our own.

The post How to Replace Wall-to-Wall Carpeting With An Eco Friendly Wood Floor appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Here are links to 13 of the best eco labels in the market. What makes them so good? They’ve been defined by independent institutions or nonprofit organizations that have set meaningful criteria that companies must prove they’ve met in order to use the ecolabel in question. When you shop, look for these “third party” certifications to back up the claims a company makes regarding the environmental and human health benefits of their products.

NOTE: These ecolabels are among the best you’ll see when you shop. That doesn’t mean they’re perfect. They sometimes allow “wiggle room” for manufacturers, and they don’t take every possible impact into consideration. But don’t let perfect be the enemy of the good! The labels listed below are making things better, and driving manufacturers to reduce pollution, limit or eliminate use of toxic chemicals, and save energy. When we use them, we put the power of our purse to work to create support for strengthening the labels while helping to protect ourselves and our families.

Best Eco Labels

Organic – The U.S. Department of Agriculture collaborated with scientists, consumer groups, environmentalists and the agriculture industry to set standards for the meaning of the word “organic.” Products labeled “100 percent organic” must contain only organically produced ingredients. Products labeled “organic” must consist of at least 95 percent organically produced ingredients. Products meeting either set of requirements may display the USDA Organic seal on their packaging. Processed products that contain at least 70% organic ingredients may use the phrase “made with organic ingredients,” but may not use the organic seal. Processed products that contain less than 70% organic ingredients may not use the term “organic” other than to identify the specific ingredients that are organically produced in the ingredients statement. Overall, when it comes to food, the organic label, while not perfect, is the best indicator that no or minimal toxic pesticides, hormones, and antibiotics were used for growing and processing.

Green Seal – For more than 25 years, this non-profit, science-based organization has developed certification standards to minimize the environmental and health impacts related to cleaning products, coffee, paint, windows, even sticky notes. To earn the Green Seal, a product must meet rigorous evaluation and testing objectives, as must the facility where it is manufactured.

LEED – The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) label represents a green building rating system for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings. A program of the U.S. Green Building Council, LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality.

Forest Stewardship Council – FSC sets standards to ensure that forests are being managed in an environmentally responsible way, and that products like timber, paper and furniture are made sustainably. Look for it when you buy writing and copy paper, stationery, couches, chairs, dining room sets, flooring, framing timber, packaging and packing materials.

ENERGY STAR – This label, overseen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, indicates homes and buildings, plus appliances, computers lightbulbs, copiers, printers, furnaces and many other products that meet strict energy-efficiency guidelines that help save energy and money and protect the environment.

Veriflora – This label is awarded to flower growers who do not use “extremely hazardous” or “highly hazardous” agrochemicals. The VeriFlora label also indicates that growers are converting to organic and sustainable crop production practices. The standard contains extensive water and ecosystem protection measures to ensure that farmers are not damaging surrounding wildlife or habitats. In addition, it requires growers to provide a fair, equitable, and safe workplace for their farmers.

Fair Trade Certified – This label (either version) demonstrates that the farmers and workers behind Fair Trade goods were paid fair wages and have opportunities for better health care, housing and education. The Fair Trade label is attached to coffee, chocolate, cocoa, tea, fruit, rice, sugar, spices and a variety of clothing and crafts produced in developing countries.

Certified Humane Raised & Handled – This label provides independent verification that the care and handling of livestock and poultry on farms enrolled in the program meet high-quality, humane animal care standards. These include access to clean and sufficient food and water; sufficient protection from inclement weather; and enough space to move about naturally.

Leaping Bunny is the certification program of the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics. The mark certifies that companies have not tested their products on animals during any stage of development. The company’s ingredient suppliers make the same pledge. Look for the Leaping Bunny label on cosmetics and personal care, household, and cleaning products.

Marine Stewardship Council – The Council’s eco-label indicates seafood that comes from fisheries that are striving to manage sustainably. Look for it on fish and shellfish, including fresh seafood sold at the counter, packaged and frozen seafood, and products like canned tuna, salmon, anchovies, sardines, and crab.

Demeter – This label represents the Demeter Farm Standard, which   indicates that a farm is organically farmed, GMO-free and also operated to promote soil fertility, animal welfare, conserve water, protect biodiversity, and managed to follow the cycles of nature. Look for it on wine, tea, juice, pasta, sauces, and many other foods.

NON-GMO Project Verified – This label indicates that products bearing it have been produced according to the best available practices for avoiding genetically-modified organisms (GMOs). It does not promise that a product is “GMO free” because there is always some risk that seeds, crops, ingredients and products have been exposed to GMOs somewhere along their growing or production cycle. It does, however, create a powerful incentive to seed breeders, farmers, processors and manufacturers to adopt practices that reduce use of GMOs while giving consumers a way to limit their exposure.

WaterSense – WaterSense is a label and program created by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It’s designed to help consumers easily identify water-efficient products in the marketplace while ensuring product performance and encouraging manufacturers to create more products that help use water wisely. Look for it on indoor plumbing fixtures like faucets, toilets and shower heads, as well as outdoors in rain sensors, soil moisture sensors, and sprinkler systems.

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The post The 13 Best Eco Labels To Help You Shop Green appeared first on Big Green Purse.

You’ve probably heard about something called a LEED Certified Home, but do you actually know what it is? LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a program sponsored by the U.S. Green Building Council. It encourages construction of buildings and, increasingly homes, that use energy as efficiently as possible and meet other environmental standards as well.

“As a general contractor, I’ve spent years in the construction of commercial and residential buildings. You name it, and I’ve built it (or at least something like it), and I can tell you this: most structures—from the materials, to the overall design, to the location itself—just aren’t all that “green.”

Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be this way. And with the help of LEED, increasingly, it’s not.

What is LEED?

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. It’s actually a rating system created by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) that offers a standard against which green design can be measured. It does this by assigning a rating to any building reviewed.

The LEED rating is based upon factors such as:

* the sustainability of the construction site

* the renewability of construction materials

* water efficiency

* waste production, and

* indoor environmental concerns, like air quality and the availability of natural light.

 When all of the pertinent data have been compiled and considered, LEED assigns the building in question points in the different categories. Buildings receive a rating based on their overall score.  Those that rate spectacularly well in every category and earn a total of 80 points or more receive a platinum certificate. 60–79 points earn a gold certificate, 50–59 a silver certificate, and 40–49 total points a basic certification. Anything below 40 gets no certification at all.

Benefits of LEED

Most LEED homes come with built-in home automation technology that allows homeowners to save energy, water, and money by learning a homeowner’s habits and adjusting to those. Companies like Nest and others have led the way with groundbreaking home automation technology like programmable “learning” thermostats that can save us consumers money on our energy bills.

Builders and designers who adhere to sustainable practices and receive a high level of LEED certification benefit, too. Not only do they improve their own public image by demonstrating their commitment to the environment, but they’re also able to reap certain monetary rewards. Especially for those building large buildings or office or residential complexes, LEED certification can increase property values and decrease energy, water, and waste costs. Additionally, certain government programs offer rewards for buildings that are LEED certified. Overall, LEED is creating a climate in which eco-friendly design and green materials are gaining an advantage. 

Additional Value if You Own a Leed Certified Home

Given enough time, LEED should be terrific both for the world you live in and your pocketbook. In addition to saving energy, LEED certification of privately owned homes has been known to increase residential property values. Of course, the effect that it has on the value will vary from area to area, but even in locations where the demand for green housing isn’t particularly high, potential buyers will still be impressed by reduced utility costs associated with LEED construction practices.

Finding and Financing a LEED Certified Home

If you’re in the market, how can you find a LEED certified home? Your real estate agent or certain online sites such as Listedgreen.com might help you locate potential properties. Still, because they’re relatively new, existing LEED certified homes may be a bit hard to come by.

The good news is that building your own LEED certified home isn’t nearly as expensive as you might assume. For an additional 1 to 7% of construction costs, you’ll be able to create a platinum certified house from the ground up. Of course, you also have the option of renovating your existing home to make it more LEED compliant. This may be a bit more difficult for certain homeowners, given that some factors may not be alterable (location comes to mind), but there are nonetheless many ways you can upgrade your home if you’re willing to undertake a renovation. 

As a general contractor I’ve seen all sorts of buildings go up, but it’s only been during the last few years that people have really begun to take notice of the environmental and economic benefits these structures offer. The LEED certification program is a good way to judge just how “green” a building is. If you’re willing to invest a bit of extra time and money in the short term, you can get that same reassurance for your own property, and reap the benefits for many years to come.”

 David Glenn taps his 30 years of experience owning his own home-building business to review promising new technologies that offer consumers the opportunity to save energy and money and live greener lives. Connect with him on Twitter @davidglenn97.

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