Thinking Green: Paint

Thinking Green for your home, office or living space needs to start with looking into the health to your family, your workers and the environment. Here are some things you can think about moving forward.

Paint: According to the to the EPA, paint is considered to be one of the top 5 hazards to human health. Paints and finishes are among the leading causes. Paints and finishes release low level toxic emissions into the air for years after application. The source of these toxins is a variety of VOC's (Volatile Organic Compounds) which, until recently, were essential to the performance of the paint.

New environmental regulations, and consumer demand, have led to the development of low-VOC and zero-VOC paints and finishes. Most paint manufacturers now produce one or more non-VOC variety of paint. These new paints are durable, cost-effective and less harmful to human and environmental health.

Here are two types of paints that have I have tagged on my eco friendly links:

Myrthic (www.mythicstores.com ) their paints are VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) free and exceed the Green Seal GS-11 environmental criteria for coatings used in LEED- certified buildings. I like any company that tries to exceed the LEED standards as they are minimums that should be achieved.

Green Planet Paint (www.greenplanetpaints.com) their paints are fundamentally unique. While there are many zero VOC paints on the market today, Green Planet Paints® is the first to move beyond petroleum toward a truly sustainable paint based on plant resins and mineral pigments.

Here are other safe Paints that can be used from popular manufacturers recommended by the Green Seal website (http://www.greenseal.org):

Benjamin Moore Benjamin Moore's EcoSpec Interior line (Latex Primer Sealer, Flat, Eggshell Enamel, and Semi-Gloss Enamel) GS-11 Paints (1993)

Color Wheel Paint & Coatings EnviroKote Interior Low Odor Acrylic Interior line (Primer, Flat, Eggshell, and Semi-Gloss) GS-11 Paints (1993)

Cloverdale Paint Horizon Interior line (Latex Primer, Flat, Eggshell, Semi-Gloss) GS-11 Paints (1993)

Dutch Boy Dutch Boy Clarity Interior Latex line (Primer Sealer, Flat Wall & Ceiling Paint, Satin Wall & Trim Enamel and Semi-Gloss Wall & Trim Enamel) GS-11 Paints (1993)

Frazee Paint EnviroKote Interior Low Odor Acrylic Interior line (Primer, Flat, Eggshell, and Semi-Gloss) GS-11 Paints (1993)

General Paint EnviroKote Interior Low Odor Acrylic Interior line (Primer, Flat, Eggshell, and Semi-Gloss) GS-11 Paints (1993)

MAB Paints Enviro-Pure Interior Latex Zero VOC line (Primer, Flat, Eggshell and Semi-Gloss) GS-11 Paints (1993)

Metro MetroPaint Interior/Exterior Low-Sheen Recycled Latex Paint GS-43 Recycled-Content Latex Paint

Miller Paint Co. Acro Pure Interior Acrylic line (Primer, Flat, Eggshell, Satin, and Semi-Gloss) GS-11 Paints (1993)

Olympic Paint and Stain Zero-VOC Olympic Premium Interior line (Flat, Flat Enamel, Eggshell, Satin, Semi-Gloss, Kitchen & Bath) GS-11 Paints (1993)

Parker Paint EnviroKote Interior Low Odor Acrylic Interior line (Primer, Flat, Eggshell, and Semi-Gloss) GS-11 Paints (1993)

PPG Architectural Finishes, Inc. Pittsburgh Paints Pure Performance line (primer, flat, eggshell, semi-gloss) GS-11 Paints (1993)

Rodda Paint Company Horizon Exterior line(Latex Primer, Flat, Velvet Flat, Satin, Lowgloss Enamel, and Semigloss Enamel) GS-11 Paints (1993)

Rust-Oleum Corporation Metalmax DTM Acrylic Urethane
S40 System Gloss Concrete Epoxy Floor Coating
S42 System Medium Build Satin Concrete Epoxy Floor Coating GS-11 Paints (1993)

Sico Inc. Crown Diamond Perfection line (Absolute Mat and Soft Gloss) GS-11 Paints (1993)

Southern Diversified Products American Pride line (primer, flat, eggshell, semi-gloss, ceiling)
Mother's Touch line (flat, satin-eggshell, semi-gloss) GS-11 Paints (1993)

Visions Recycling Workhorse Interior (Latex Flat, Latex Eggshell, Latex Semi-Gloss)
Workhorse Exterior (Latex Flat, Latex Low Sheen) GS-43 Recycled-Content Latex Paint

YOLO Colorhouse Earth's Color Collection Interior line (Primer, Transitional Primer, Flat, Eggshell, Semigloss, Cabinet and Trim Paint), Earth's Color Collection Exterior line (Primer, Velvet Flat, Satin, Semigloss) GS-11 Paints (1993)