Flooring choices: make an ecological difference: tread lightly on our environment with flooring expert Michelle Garrison.

There is nothing like a wood floor. Its amazing character holds it own unique patterns, textures, and colors that only nature can provide. It is durable, easy to clean and, most of all, gorgeous. Wood is a magical material that we sometimes take for granted. Many of us have seen and experienced the effects the growing demand for wood has had on our land. From the destruction of our local forests to the rainforests in Brazil, we are continuously witnessing the effects of irresponsible logging. Numerous studies have shown that sustainably harvested forests will actually yield a higher quality wood over a much longer period of time while still maintaining a healthy ecosystem. Fortunately, we are beginning to seek answers about where our wood is coming from and how it is harvested, which in turn has led to better, more ecologically friendly alternatives for the flooring industry.

For years people have turned to reclaimed wood sources, wood that has already been used in old buildings, as an ecological option. Reclaimed wood gives us the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of older superior quality wood without sacrificing our remaining forests. Recent growth in the reclaimed market has made a wide variety of exotic and domestic species available. Though some choose reclaimed wood for its beauty, unique character, or to make an ecological statement, the labor required to reuse wood is so intense that it drives prices above many people's budgets, sometimes making it difficult to make an ecological choice when faced with cost. Fortunately, there are other options for those who are concerned about the health of our forests.

FSC CERTIFIED WOOD

The last decade has given rise to the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), a means by which consumers can guarantee that their wood has been harvested from sustainable sources. The Forest Stewardship Council is a non-profit third party organization that certifies sustainably harvested wood, while taking into consideration a wide variety of factors including local economy, indigenous rights, selective harvesting, and the forest ecosystem. They certify every step of the industry from the forests to the supplier, providing a chain of documentation for the buyer. The increasing popularity of FSC certified wood has brought the cost to only 0-15% higher than non-certified market prices, creating an affordable environmental choice for concerned consumers. FSC is the only certifier currently recognized by the Green Building Council and many widespread environmental organizations When purchasing sustainable wood, make sure to do your research because other certification systems are industry or government backed and do not provide legitimate proof that their wood is actually from sustainable sources.

BAMBOO FLOORING 

Along with the rise in popularity for FSC certified wood, bamboo has also grown to be an important addition to our sustainable flooring options. A bamboo floor is harder than an oak floor and the species of bamboo used for flooring takes only four to six years to reach maturity. If they are not cut in six years, typically these plants will stop growing and fall down; bamboo is a great renewable resource. Bamboo flooring is not only sustainable, it is also beautiful. It generally comes in two colors, a lighter natural color and a darker amber color (achieved by pressure steaming, which darkens it by carbonization), and it is available in solid engineered tiles, finished or unfinished. Woven bamboo flooring is a new product that utilizes bamboo scraps by laminating them together to form a richly dense flooring that is extremely durable.

Bamboo flooring is made by slicing the hollow round tubes into strips and boiling them to remove the starch. The strips are then kiln dried and laminated into solid boards that are milled for flooring. There are a few experienced bamboo flooring manufacturers, however, recent demand has flooded the market with manufacturers that are producing poor quality flooring made with toxic adhesives Typically, newer manufacturers are rushing the process by choosing premature bamboo stalks and not kiln drying their bamboo enough to meet quality standards. In addition, some are using smaller poorly-operated mills that result in reduced control over the products and treatment of mill employees. Don't let this prevent you from using bamboo in your home. Many bamboo floors outperform hardwood flooring and are a good way to help preserve our natural forests. Look for manufacturers that have been making bamboo flooring for many years, use low-VOC adhesives, and mill all of their flooring in one place.

CORK FLOORING

Popular in the Fifties and Sixties, cork flooring is emerging again in the market as another sustainable alternative to hardwood flooring. Cork is harvested from the bark of the cork oak tree every nine to eleven years, allowing the tree to live its full life expectancy of 150 to 250 years. Cork flooring is a byproduct of the bottle stopper industry. The waste is collected, ground up, and formed into sheets using minimal amounts of adhesive to bind the particles together under high pressure. Cork is soft, colorful, and amazingly beautiful. Its unique cellular structure has natural thermal and acoustic insulation, creating a warm and quiet surface to walk on. Cork, with its 100 million prism-shaped air-filled cells per cubic inch, creates a low impact surface that is great for the back, feet, and joints. Parents love cork because it is naturally antimicrobial, and it creates a comfortable atmosphere for those living and playing closer to the ground.

FSC certified or reclaimed wood, bamboo, cork, and other natural flooring alternatives provide consumers today with a choice to tread lightly on our environment.

Michelle Garrison is owner/partner of Conscious Flooring, LLC and has a degree in sustainable design. If you are interested in more information about any of the products mentioned in this article visit www.consciousflooring.com or call 888-8-FLOORS (835-6677). Visit www.fscus.org and www.certifiedwood.org for more information about the FSC.