Taking the Challenge III
Living Green Part III 
by Staci Greenberg

An expectant friend of mine is decorating her baby’s room and asked me about “environmentally friendly” materials (her words) that were appropriate to use. She was concerned about fumes affecting her precious newborn. I said “Great! Let’s start with low-VOC paint.” “Oh so that’s what its called,” she thoughtfully replied. I nodded and said, “Yes, let me explain.”

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are organic chemical compounds with some considerable vapor gases which can affect the environment and our physical health.

Many of us are aware there are man-made VOCs but did you know there are biologically derived VOCs? The odor emitted by many plants occurs almost exclusively from the leaves. Since concentrations of the regulated man-made for indoors VOCs are the highest, we will concern ourselves with only those for the purposes of this post.

It is usually when we bring a newborn or pet into the home that people get inspired to learn about the VOCs associated with cleaning products they use. Only more recently has that interest extended to other materials and furnishings as information becomes more readily available. It is important to note, in addition to babies, young children and pets, many older folks have sensitivity to VOCs as well.

VOCs off gas from numerous and varied building materials, some of which include newly painted walls, protective coatings, wall boards, and ceiling tiles, furniture, cleaners, countertops, cabinetry, adhesives, caulks and even some office equipment such as copy machines and white out fluid.
 

While they aren’t necessarily toxic, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), VOCs can have chronic effects that are associated with eye, nose and throat irritation; headaches and nausea; damage to the liver, kidneys or central nervous system; and even some cancers. Some materials including wood can slowly emit formaldehyde, which irritates the mucous membranes and can make a person irritated and uncomfortable.

New buildings especially, contribute to the highest level of VOC off-gassing in an indoor environment because of all the new materials producing VOC particles all together in such a short time period.

Information on VOCs might be worrisome but there is encouraging news - good ventilation and air conditioning systems have shown to be helpful at reducing VOC emissions in the indoor environment. Consumer demand for no or low VOC products has forced manufacturers to offer those materials and products and to keep improving them.

So what can you do to ensure the furnishings and products you use don’t contain any  or are low in VOCs?

Working with an interior designer, architect or contractor is certainly the best way to get the right information about the appropriate materials and products for your green design project.  If you are doing it yourself, most hardware and paint stores do carry no or low VOC paint, stains and varnishes these days. Lisa J. Chadderdon wrote a short piece on no or low VOC paints and generously included a nice list of companies who do produce these products with the links to their pages as well. GreenfeetHomeStore                      

Additionally, there are many choices of materials available for use in your project that are green and sustainable. Certain materials are much higher in recycled content and low in VOC emissions such as recycled glass tiles and others use reclaimed materials such as reclaimed FSC hardwood and bamboo combined with low VOC sealants and lacquers.    


A few online sources for green building supplies are:
• http://www.greenbuildingsupply.com/
• http://www.ecobydesign.com/ 

I leave my green readers with these thoughts:

Don’t be afraid to do a little investigating on your own….god bless Google!
Ask questions of your design professionals and local contractors! But most importantly, take the time to learn what questions you should be asking about things in your corner of the world that can impact your health and the environment. Go ahead and take the challenge to live a green life!

Thanks for the question Mary. I reached out to Tim Ulmer, owner of IHS Sales, Inc. an Independent Sales Rep Agency specializing in casework, USDA Certified BioPreferred countertops, fume hoods & laboratory faucets. You can reach Tim via email: tulmer@comcast.net and via phone: (615)948-1031

Tim’s  Answer:

Conventional cabinets are constructed from plywood or particle board for the cabinet boxes, with only the facade made of solid wood. Look for cabinets made without high-VOC materials. Hard or soft wood cabinets, without fiber or particle board, are a good option. Wheatboard and strawboard are another growing alternative. Getting used cabinets can be another way to help keep dangerous chemicals out of your home.

Check out this site for countertop info: http://cdn.gv.ca/2009/10/23/low-voc-laminate-countertops-found 

Corian is a low VOC emitting surface, while the solid surface line I represent, Vendura Solid Surface emits zero VOCs. Below is an excerpt from Greener Building. They also list panel products that are low VOC.

* http://www.greenerbuilding.org/product_list.php?action=list&cid=24&page=1&sort=name&order=asc 

*As always, I challenge you to begin to notice the various ways in which YOUR world impacts the bigger picture. Green design practices can be cost effective, visually appealing and are undeniably necessary.

With almost thirty years of experience in the field of interior design and project managment, Staci Greenberg is an accomplished interior designer and entrepreneur.

A graduate of Parsons School of Design, she is the principal of imc: Interior Design Services, a Gloucester County based design-build firm with specialties in custom design, deaf design and sustainable design practices.

She also hosts several podcasts, regularly guests on Rowan Radio 89.7 WGLS-FM, and is a writer for The Women of Gloucester County online magazine.

Staci can be reached by phone: 856-269-0707 and by email: staci@imcinteriors.com