home - eco-friendly paint

Need a gas mask to go with your newly painted walls?

Submitted by tmeronek on Thu, 04/03/2008 - 1:03am.
The Bite:
No kidding. No Biter's above getting woozy from fumes caused by conventional paint, and even when you can't smell it anymore, chems continue to offgas. Avoid seeing spots by opting for naturally vibrant paints for your next home makeover.
The Benefits: 
  • The shade you're into. Eco-paint's available in every color under the sun - you can even bring a standard paint swatch, and most hardware stores will create a color-mix based on the swatch number.
  • Avoiding volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are linked to headaches and nervous-system damage, and offgas even after paint dries; harsh ingredients in regular paints (such as benzene and formaldehyde) can trigger asthma and allergies.
  • The eco-friendliness. One gal of conventional paint that's not properly disposed of can seep into the earth and pollute 250,000 gal of drinking water.
Personally Speaking: 
Our Bozeman and SF offices recently got new coats using American Pride and Safecoat paint, from local sustainable building stores - and we didn't have to air out the offices for a week before coming back in.
Wanna Try: 
  • AFM Safecoat - offers one of the widest-ranging lines of eco-paints, stains, and sealers ($36/gal).
  • American Pride Paint - indoor and outdoor paints and primers developed for use by the Department of Defense ($22/gal).
  • YOLO Colorhouse - simple, nature-influenced palette with shades that work together well (simplifying the color-selection process); new exterior line too ($40-$42/gal).
  • Earth911 - find out where to recycle paint. Also: links to paint calculators so that you can get just the amount you need.
  • DIY Bite: Look for the Green Seal, which means the paint's certified eco. Bad = EPA, OSHA, or DOT seals, which mean the paint contains hazardous chems that the government has to monitor.
Related Tips: 
The Home Energy Raters Tip
The Kids' Paints Tip
Stacey Sherman

Related Blog Post: Painted into a Slow, Dumb Corner

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