Going Green: With Paint

A report from the American Lung Association confirms that the Volatile Organic Compounds released from paints can contribute to everthing from lung to liver disease. Whether on your walls or in cans in your basement, paints release low-level toxins for years. So what can you do about it? Go Green with Paint!

There are so many options in the market today for Low-VOC and zero-VOC paints, that you can make a choice that solves your problems environmentally, aesthetically, and financially. Large companies like Benjamin Moore, Pratt and Lambert, and Sherwin Williams are now in the low-VOC business. Usually colors are not affected by converting to low-VOC paints, but it's a good idea to compare colors if you're still using one of the original paint charts. Other paint companies focus specifically on environmentally safe prodcuts. Some of those companies include American Formulating and Yoho Colorhouse. Still other environmentally safe products include milk based paints. I have long been a fan of milk based paints, not only for their environmental benefits, but because I love the colors they produce. The milk in the paint tends to give off a soft chalky color that changes with light and age. While it won't win in the category of brilliance or sheen, it is precisely that softness that makes it a winner in my book.

There are many options on the market for paints that are environmentally safe. It's best to do your homework on pricing, product, and finish before investing in paint. But once you do your homework and pick your paint, you'll know you're doing it with confidence for your safety and that of the environment.