Green Definitions

The following is info to help you make an educated decision and is only to help in the understanding of all the terms. Bottom line is to read the MSDS and you decide what safety measures if any are needed!!

Though there is no one factor that makes a product the “greenest”, as an attribute that makes a product green in one category may not apply to a product in another. To qualify as green, products can have one or more of the following features:

Are low- or non-toxic
Do not off-gas
Contain recycled content
Are made from natural materials
Have been salvaged for reuse
Are produced locally
Perform better
Do not overtax natural resources
Are manufactured responsibly
Afford cost savings
Have a longer life cycle
Conserve energy or water
Can be recycled or disposed of safely
Are rapidly renewable

There are some 80 different local and state green building organizations and at least two different national groups promoting their own rules on what constitutes a green home. The result: a contentious war over whose rules become the national standard for making a house sustainable. It also means more confusion for homebuyers.

VOCs.

A paint can be "low-VOC" yet still contain odorous, toxic, or otherwise undesirable ingredients such as ammonia, formaldehyde, crystalline silica, odor masking agents, and many other compounds, including fungicides and bactericides. In addition, hazardous ingredients can degrade the natural environment during production and after disposal. Look for water-based paints that are formaldehyde-free, Zero- or low-VOC, and low-toxic. "Zero-VOC" or low-VOC paints minimize the indoor air pollution load and health risks to both workers and occupants. Water-based paints are generally safer to handle and can be cleaned up with water, reducing health risks to workers and minimizing/avoiding hazardous waste.
Note, there is no regulatory definition for "zero," "low," "formaldehyde-free," or "low-toxic" VOC paint and coatings. VOC and other constituent contents for these low and zero or constituent free products will vary depending upon the product category.

Both biocides and glycols escape the designation of "VOC", because they have much higher boiling points. However, these chemicals found in many low odor, synthetic finishes can nevertheless affect indoor air quality by introducing small amounts of pollutants over longer periods of time, often with no detectable odor.

Seriously, if you want your walls to be “green”, don’t paint them! I notice lime plasters being labeled green. If you’re pushing something as lime and calling it green, that is in a house built and decorated with materials with toxins, what is it that your trying to sell to your client? Lime is natural, green, and low VOCs. Always has been unless its been modified. Why call it “green” now? Same reason Campbell Soup is selling “earth friendly” soup cans and putting a green label on it instead of red. The new consumer is having green pushed daily on them and it sells.

Going green is good, don’t get me wrong. Just know your facts, read the labels, and use precautions as far as health because some products pass the test to be labeled “green”, because of low VOCs but does not mean they are non toxic. EXAMPLE: Benjamin Moore ECO paints. Considered green by the USGBC, (LEED rating system) low VOC. But on the MSDS there is a warning that some ingredients have been known to cause cancer in California . And these were not listed ingredients

Green movement started in the 1970s and is now going strong worldwide. I like green, but still read the labels!


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			The following is info to help you make an educated decision and is only to help in the understanding of all the terms. Bottom line is to read the MSDS and you decide what safety measures if any are needed!! Though there is no one factor that makes a product the “greenest”, as an attribute that makes a product green in one category may not apply to a product in another. To qualify as green, products can have one or more of the following features: Are low- or non-toxic Do not off-gas Contain recycled content Are made from natural materials Have been salvaged for reuse Are produced locally Perform better Do not overtax natural resources Are manufactured responsibly Afford cost savings Have a longer life cycle Conserve energy or water Can be recycled or disposed of safely Are rapidly renewable There are some 80 different local and state green building organizations and at least two different national groups promoting their own rules on what constitutes a green home. The result: a contentious war over whose rules become the national standard for making a house sustainable. It also means more confusion for homebuyers. VOCs. A paint can be "low-VOC" yet still contain odorous, toxic, or otherwise undesirable ingredients such as ammonia, formaldehyde, crystalline silica, odor masking agents, and many other compounds, including fungicides and bactericides. In addition, hazardous ingredients can degrade the natural environment during production and after disposal. Look for water-based paints that are formaldehyde-free, Zero- or low-VOC, and low-toxic. "Zero-VOC" or low-VOC paints minimize the indoor air pollution load and health risks to both workers and occupants. Water-based paints are generally safer to handle and can be cleaned up with water, reducing health risks to workers and minimizing/avoiding hazardous waste. Note, there is no regulatory definition for "zero," "low," "formaldehyde-free," or "low-toxic" VOC paint and coatings. VOC and other constituent contents for these low and zero or constituent free products will vary depending upon the product category. Both biocides and glycols escape the designation of "VOC", because they have much higher boiling points. However, these chemicals found in many low odor, synthetic finishes can nevertheless affect indoor air quality by introducing small amounts of pollutants over longer periods of time, often with no detectable odor. Seriously, if you want your walls to be “green”, don’t paint them! I notice lime plasters being labeled green. If you’re pushing something as lime and calling it green, that is in a house built and decorated with materials with toxins, what is it that your trying to sell to your client? Lime is natural, green, and low VOCs. Always has been unless its been modified. Why call it “green” now? Same reason Campbell Soup is selling “earth friendly” soup cans and putting a green label on it instead of red. The new consumer is having green pushed daily on them and it sells. Going green is good, don’t get me wrong. Just know your facts, read the labels, and use precautions as far as health because some products pass the test to be labeled “green”, because of low VOCs but does not mean they are non toxic. EXAMPLE: Benjamin Moore ECO paints. Considered green by the USGBC, (LEED rating system) low VOC. But on the MSDS there is a warning that some ingredients have been known to cause cancer in California . And these were not listed ingredients Green movement started in the 1970s and is now going strong worldwide. I like green, but still read the labels!

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