Toss that toxic couch

Whether you're a design junkie who obsesses over every piece of furniture in the house or a low-maintenance IKEA type, there's no question that the surfaces on which you sleep, eat and lounge are a big part of your everyday life. And like most choices we make, the furniture that fills our home not only affects our comfort levels, but also has an impact on the environment and our health.

There are many good reasons to seek out green furniture: Keeping excessive manufacturing waste out of landfills; saving endangered forests; and improving indoor air quality by reducing the use of toxic chemicals are a few of the big ones. And as innovative designers become increasingly tuned in to the desires of the consumer who is as style savvy as she is environmentally conscious, options abound for outfitting your pad with supremely cool gear that doesn't forget the planet.

Sound too good to be true? Economically, it may be. Though rapidly growing, green design is still a relatively small segment of the furniture market, which often results in hefty price tags for even simple pieces. The solution? Start slowly.

Just as it's impossible to instantly transform every piece of your wardrobe into organic cotton, it's unrealistic to quickly fill your home with furniture crafted from sustainably harvested wood. While you're saving up for the big-ticket items like the Isabella Bed from RC Green — made from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified wood and natural latex — you can score furniture that is eco- and wallet-friendly by seeking out previously owned pieces. Reusing is always the greenest option as it doesn't require new materials or the energy required for manufacturing, and it keeps another item out of the landfill. You can go the craigslist.org or freecycle.net route or you can hunt for vintage and antique items.

But if you've got the green to purchase new green pieces, keep these tips in mind as you shop:

• Look for furniture made from reclaimed materials. Houses, kitchen tables, pianos, baseball bats — think of all the wood that is used to make things each day and then think about all the scraps left over from construction and manufacturing and the landfill waste from discarded wood items. Instead of using new wood to make dining room chairs and beds and bookshelves, some green designers are turning to wood that's already in play. NYC-based RG Furniture Design turns lumber from historic buildings under demolition in New York City into striking tables, benches, shelves and lamps.
• Seek out furniture made from FSC-certified wood. We need trees. Lots of them. They produce oxygen, absorb carbon dioxide, and help to keep the planet cool, among several other very commendable attributes. Purchasing furniture made from wood sourced from sustainably harvested forests helps to ensure that many trees will be with us for a long, long time. The Forest Stewardship Council is the biggest certifier. Look for its seal of approval before investing in an eco-friendly piece of furniture. Check out Woodshanti's stunning FSC-certified computer desk.
• Purchase furniture made without toxic chemicals. Your couch may look harmless, but unless you know exactly how it was manufactured, there's a good chance that it's off-gassing (emitting substances into the air) harmful chemicals into your home. The most common off-gassed substances are VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, which actually sound as scary as they are — they've been connected to cancer and birth defects — and can be found in substances like formaldehyde, flame retardants, finishes, adhesives and foam cushions. Check out the Brave Space Hallow Coffee Table with low VOC adhesives and a nontoxic finish.

(via Newsweek)

Diffrent type of additives in paint

Below is a list of additives used in the manufacture of latex paints, and a description of how they affect the properties of those paints.

1. Thickeners and Rheology Modifiers
(rheology is the science of how a liquid tends to flow)

• provide adequate viscosity (thickness), so the paint may be applied properly
• impact how thick the paint goes on and how well it flows out when applied
• modern rheology modifiers help latex paints
- resist spattering when applied by roller
- flow out smoothly
- be less likely to spoil than with older generation thickeners
(with spoilage, the paint may smell putrid and/or lose viscosity)

2. Surfactants (specialized soaps)

• stabilize the paint so that it will not separate or become too thick to use
• keep pigments dispersed for maximum gloss and hiding
• help "wet" the surface being painted, so the paint won't "crawl" (move about)
when it is applied
• provide compatibility with tinting colorants so that the correct color will be obtained
and help assure that it won't change before the paint is used

3. Biocides: two types are used in latex paints

1. a preservative to keep bacteria from growing in the paint

(This is especially important for paint stored in containers that are repeatedly opened and closed, because contamination can occur.)

2. a mildewcide, to discourage mildew from growing on the surface of the paint after it has been applied.

(This is used mainly in exterior products, although some interior paints, such as those formulated for use in damp areas, e.g., kitchens and baths, may also contain mildewcide.)

4. Defoamers break bubbles as they are formed in the paint when:

• the paint is mixed in the factory
• it is put on the shaker or stirred
• it is applied to the surface (especially important when rolling the paint on)

5. Co-solvents are additional liquids other than water; that:

• aid the binder in forming a good film when applied down to the minimum recommended application temperature
• help the liquid paint resist damage if frozen
• enhance brushing properties, including flow and "open time" (the time the paint can be applied and worked, before it sets up)

The co-solvents are generally volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

(Via PQI)

What the best paint to use on baby crib?

I reglued a crib for a friend and she wants to paint it white and asked me what was the best paint to use, so I'm asking for help

You should use what is called Milk Paint. It's non-toxic and is always recommended for toys/cribs that kids might put in their mouths. It actually has a dairy product as one of its ingredients.

Besides, it's beautiful paint because the colors are soft on the eye. Gives a country look. In the 1700s and 1800s, it was used to paint houses. Check out Woodworker.com. They sell it there. Just do a search under "milk paint". You'll see a brand called "J.E.Moser's Old-Fashioned Milk Paint". Get that one.

(via thebabycribsite.com)

No or Low VOC paint

Green Building Design Features: No or Low VOC Paint
by cleanairgardening

How to select healthy and environmentally sound paints

A new coat of paint or stain can make a room feel fresh again, but it often has the opposite effect on the air quality in your home. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), paints, stains and other architectural coatings produce about 9 percent of the volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from consumer and commercial products, making them the second-largest source of VOC emissions after automobiles.

VOCs are carbon compounds that evaporate at room temperature and react in sunlight to help form ground-level ozone, an integral component of photochemical smog. VOCs can cause respiratory, skin and eye irritation; headaches; nausea; muscle weakness; and more serious ailments and diseases, according to the EPA. Formaldehyde, a VOC commonly found in paint, is a probable carcinogen. The EPA has found that indoor concentrations of VOCs are regularly up to ten times as high as outdoor concentrations, and can climb up to a thousand times as high as outdoor concentrations when you are applying paint.

This overview covers the environmental and health impacts associated with most types of paint on the market. A good coat of paint should last years, so your choice is significant for your home, your health and the environment.

VOCs AND BEYOND

When considering the VOC content of any product, keep in mind that EPA and state and local rules are intended to reduce emissions of VOCs that cause smog, not to improve indoor air quality. These rules allow paints labeled “zero-VOC” or “no-VOC” to contain up to five grams of VOCs per liter (g/L) in addition to VOCs that have been exempted from the rules. The paint standard developed by the nonprofit organization Green Seal sets more comprehensive environmental requirements, but is considered easy to meet by manufacturers. Low- and no-VOC paints may also contain other compounds that affect air quality. While some of these are known and can be avoided, others are not. Manufacturers are not required to disclose all the chemicals used in their products; some ingredients are deemed proprietary information or are used in such small quantities that they do not have to be reported.

Beyond VOCs, many paints are made with toxic substances and chemicals that come from nonrenewable resources or are energy-intensive or polluting to produce, so even no-VOC paints and stains can affect the environment.

COMPOSITION OF PAINT

Paint has three main components: Pigment gives it color; the binder or resin makes the pigment stick when the paint is applied and forms a solid layer of paint; and the carrier or solvent keeps the paint in liquid form and evaporates once the paint is exposed to air. Other additives are sometimes used to thicken paint (such as chalk, which is nontoxic) or give it characteristics such as mold resistance (which requires toxic materials).

Pigment contributes to a paint’s emissions in a small but significant way. Much of the latex and oil paint sold in stores comes as white base paint, and colorants (composed of pigments in liquid form, soaps and sometimes solvents) are added to create the desired color at the time of purchase. Because pigments add some amount of VOCs and sometimes toxins to the base paint, actual VOC emissions will almost always be higher than those quoted on the base paint. The deeper the hue, the more pigment needed, and therefore the more VOCs the colored paint contains. If you must paint in deep, dark shades, consider purchasing paint from a no- or low-VOC line that includes no- or low-VOC pigments.

Toxic substances used in a pigment should be listed on its Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). Avoid cadmium, chromium, mercury and other heavy metals. Titanium dioxide, which gives white latex and oil paints their base color and accounts for about 25 percent of these paints by weight, is very energy intensive to produce, so paint containing it creates a certain amount of energy-related pollution before accounting for the binder and carrier.

We differentiate between types of paint based on their binders since the binders tend to dictate a paint’s characteristics and applications. Both the binder and the carrier, however, can contribute to a paint’s overall environmental and health impact.

LATEX PAINTS (acrylic and vinyl acetate binders)

Because they use water as the carrier rather than petroleum-based solvents, latex paints have lower VOC levels than oil-based paints. While they don’t cover stains as well as their oil-based counterparts, low- and no-VOC latex paints perform well for most household applications, and high-quality latex paint can be as durable as an oil paint. Latex paint actually contains no latex, so it won’t affect people with latex allergies.

Latex paint cleans up easily with water, so you don’t need harsh VOC-emitting solvents to work with it. It can also be “recycled” by combining leftovers; oil paints cannot be recycled in this way.

Using recycled latex paint avoids the manufacturing impact, but recycled paint may not be made of low-VOC paint, so it is best suited to well-ventilated areas like the interior of a garage or shed. Standards for recycled low-VOC paints are being developed. The Product Stewardship Institute hosts this list of recycled paint manufacturers.

We recommend using paints that are free of fungicides and biocides like formaldehyde. Although latex paints are biocide free to begin with, almost all manufacturers add synthetic biocides, or “can preservative,” to extend shelf life. Manufacturers are not required to list biocides on a paint’s MSDS because they are added in such small amounts, but some paints are labeled biocide- or fungicide-free. If you do not see this on the label and want to avoid biocides, call the manufacturer to determine if biocides are included in the formulation.

One hundred percent acrylic paint is more water resistant than vinyl acetate paint and is good for kitchen, bath and exterior applications. Vinyl acetate paint is adequate for most indoor applications and is less expensive. Look for solids content of over 30 percent to hide stains, cover in fewer coats, and cover more surface area per gallon. This information should appear on the paint’s label or Technical Data Sheet (TDS).

See GreenHomeGuide’s Latex Paint Directory for low- and no-VOC paints reviewed and approved by our subject editors.

Read more.

Reduce airborne contaminants with low VOC paints

The air in our homes is riddled with airborne contaminants. Things like carpeting, wood finishes, and glues and adhesives, all emit small amounts of potentially dangerous chemicals into the air. Paint, unfortunately, is one of the top contributors of this type of indoor air pollution, and can emit contaminants for years after application. Fortunately, there is a new generation of paints that are low VOC, no VOC, or all natural, and that reduce the indoor pollution from your interior paint to almost nothing.

What's a VOC?
Close your eyes and try to conjure up that "new paint smell." Got it? What you're smelling are VOCs. VOC stands for Volatile Organic Compound, and refers any of the compounds traditionally added to paint to enhance the paint's color, spreadability, adhesiveness, and resistance to fungus and insects. Unfortunately, many of these compounds are released into the air at room temperature, polluting your indoor air and causing major problems for those with chemical sensitivities, allergies, and respiratory illnesses. While VOCs used to be necessary to make paint, new technology has rendered them less and less essential. The result is the next generation of painting products.

All-Natural, No VOC, and Low VOC Paint
As the paint industry has responded to public demand for less polluting indoor paints, three main products have hit the shelves. Those products are all natural, no VOC, and low VOC paint. Each product contains a different level of VOCs, and has to meet a certain set of standards set by the EPA in order to claim the label. Here's a quick breakdown of each, so you can choose the best product for you.

• All Natural Paint contains no VOCs and is composed entirely of natural ingredients. It is water based, reinforced with plant and animal oils and resins, and is colored with plant and mineral dyes. All natural paint has almost no smell to it, wet or dry, and is the healthiest choice when it comes to painting interior spaces.

• No VOC Paint contains less than 5 grams of VOCs per liter of paint, usually in the form of biocides, fungicides, or colorant. No VOC paint has almost no smell when wet, and none at all once it has dried.

• Low VOC Paint is required to have less than 200 grams of VOCs/liter. However, most manufacturers of low VOC paint strive to meet the Green Seal Standard, which guarantees them to have less than 50 grams of VOCs/liter. If low VOC emission is a priority for you, then it's smart to search out, and pay a little bit extra, for paint that meets Green Seal Standards.

(Via ServiceMagic.com)