wise unavailable old-growth tropical hardwoods, including cherry and teak. If a local source isn’t available, look for an FSC-certified company (e.g.,
TerraMai.com; Elmwood
ReclaimedTimber.com). Bamboo: Bamboo has won many environmental ac- colades in recent years because it is a hardy plant that grows to full height quickly. Intended to reduce the need to fell trees, its use has prompted the spread of bamboo plantations across India, China and Burma; the unintended result has been rampant clearing of old-growth, biodiverse forests for a monoculture crop, frequently for bamboo products that are not FSC-certified.
Look for bamboo that is FSC-certified; when it’s not, advises Kahn, “Consumers have no way to know how the bamboo was grown or harvested.” What’s more, he adds, bamboo flooring is held together with adhesives and other chemicals, and these related issues must be considered by an eco-conscious homeowner. Cork: Cork is durable, warm, sound absorbing and envi- ronmentally friendly. Lending unique properties to flooring, its cellular nature makes it a good shock absorber (a special
plus for the infirm) and maintains its integrity over time. Note that spilled moisture needs to be dealt with immediately, as it could eventually ruin the flooring. Derived from the bark of the Quercus suber, or cork oak, that grows in the Mediterranean region, the bark is harvested once every nine years by hand from carefully man- aged forests. Peeling off the bark does not hurt the trees. To be sure cork flooring is chemical-free, look for companies selling all-natural, undyed cork. Wool Carpets: Wool has everything—softness, warmth, durability, variety and sustainability. Shorn from sheep, the pri- mary fiber is as renewable as possible, but homeowners need to check the composition of the backing material, as well. Nature’s Carpet (
NaturesCarpet.com), one example of a green textile company, ranks their wool carpets on a grading system. The most environmentally friendly, or “dark green”, carpets feature jute (the same material used for burlap, com- prising one of the softest natural carpets) natural fiber back- ings, held in place with natural rubber latex, says Brooke Davis, a spokesperson for Nature’s Carpet. “The result is an ultra-low toxicity floor covering,” she says. Davis confirms that most wool carpets will last 30 years or longer and at the end of their long natural life, will biodegrade. Natural Carpets: In addition to jute, other plant-based carpets are ideal for hallways, entranceways and other high- traffic household areas. Sisal, made from agave plants, is the same material used as twine; sea grass offers a coarse, woven, beach-friendly appearance; and coir, culled from coconut husks, often shows up in natural-fiber doormats. All make ideal area rugs and can feature colorful and decorative borders to accent the natural look.
Brita Belli is the editor of E – The Environmental Magazine and author of The Autism Puzzle: Connecting the Dots Between Environmental Toxins and Rising Autism Rates. She blogs at
AutismAndToxins.com.
natural awakenings September 2012
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