Green Building

Easy Solutions to Have a Healthy,
Green Home

1. Chemical Air Fresheners - Air fresheners contain dangerous ingredients like dichlorobenzene, naphthalene, and formaldehyde.
   Solutions: Soy candles, essential oils, fresh air!
2. PVC Shower Curtains - Polyvinyl chloride, also known as PVC, the vinyl in your shower curtain, is a plastic that's dangerous to people and the environment at every stage of its lifecycle.
   Solutions: Washable cotton, install glass doors
3. Conventional Cleaners - Many household cleaners contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such as formaldehyde, harsh acids, and hormone disruptors.
   Solutions: Make vinegar and water solution (1 part vinegar, 3 parts water, add essential oils, spray)
4. Paints and Stains - Conventional paints contain three potentially harmful chemicals: VOCs, fungicides, and biocides. Other problematic ingredients can include mercury, arsenic disulfide, phenol, and formaldehyde.
   Solutions: Buy Low or no VOC paints, Pittsburgh Paints, YOLO, or try American Clayworks
5. Furniture - Some wood furniture can release VOCs from adhesives and finishes. Urea formaldehyde is used in particle board furniture, and most upholstered furniture is treated with flame-retardant polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PDBEs).
   Solutions: Refinish old furniture, buy used furniture or furniture made from wood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.
6. Flooring - Wall-to-wall carpets harbor allergens and trap toxins. Most synthetic carpets and their adhesives also emit VOCs. Carpeting may be treated with benzyl benzoate or other chemicals for mothproofing or to repel moisture.
   Solutions: Rip up an old carpet, use washable rugs instead. Try FLOR carpet tiles.
7. Vinyl Siding - Home siding can be the single largest use of vinyl, made from PVC, in a home. Vinyl siding often contains DEHP, an additive, and a phthalate.
   Solutions: Hardiplank, a recycled long-lasting siding product, or use wood siding harvested from sustainable forests (FSC certified).
8. Wooden Decks and Playsets - Until a few years ago, pressure-treated wood for decks and play equipment was routinely covered in chromium copper arsenate (CCA) to kill insects and prevent rot. CCA leaches arsenic that sticks to the hands and is absorbed through skin.
   Solutions: Paint existing playsets made from CCA treated wood and cover soil surrounding CCA treated posts with concrete.
9. Pesticides - Too many homeowners needlessly use hazardous chemicals on their lawns, and these chemicals can drift into their homes and pollute indoor air and affect everyone's water.
   Solutions: Turn your yard into a vegetable garden, plant pollinating plants for good bugs, use compost for fertilizer, or use mulch for weed control.