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Thinking about freshening up the walls in your home with a new coat of paint? Repainting the interior of your home is a home improvement project offering big bang for the buck! Just as important as color selection is ensuring you choose a paint that is VOC-free! Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are the solvents released into the air as the paint dries, producing that "new-paint smell."

Recent EPA studies estimate indoor air quality to be 3 to 5 times more toxic than outdoor air, largely caused by toxic emissions of paints and finishes.

The use of no-VOC/eco-friendly paint reduces toxins that cause allergy and chemical sensitivities, reduces contaminant concentrations in landfill, groundwater and the ozone, provides easy cleanup with soap and water, and produces lower odor. With increased legislation and support from environmentally conscious organizations such as the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), plus advances in paint technology, the paint industry has come a long way in developing an array of environmentally responsible products with higher performance levels. New paints have become more durable, cost-effective and less harmful to humans and the environment.

"There's never been a better time to buy environmentally responsible products," says Mark Petruzzi, Vice President of Green Seal. "It's a lot easier to be green now. If you've tried green in the past, give it a fresh look.

This is good news for consumers concerned about the interior air quality in their home, as finding VOC-free paint is as easy as making a trip to Home Depot! They now carry a line of no-VOC paint called The Freshaire Choice. Today just about every paint manufacturer offers a VOC-free line of paint. Two manufacturers specializing in zero-VOC paint include Yolo Colorhouse and Safecoat. VOC-free paints typically cost about the same as a manufacturer's premium line of paints.

If you plan on having custom colors made by a paint store, make sure that the colorants they are using to tint the paint are also no-VOC. Some paint stores might offer a base color that is no-VOC, but do not have the no-VOC colorants needed to create a custom color.

If you must use products containing VOC’s, take the following precautions to reduce overall exposure to these harmful compounds.

· Increase ventilation when using products that emit VOCs,

· Try to buy products that contain VOCs in quantities that can be used quickly,

· Use products only according to manufacturer's directions,

· Adhere to all product warnings,

· Dispose of products containing VOCs properly.

So the next time you are in the planning stages of an interior home painting project, don’t forget about the importance of selecting a zero-VOC paint! In doing so, you can breathe easy as you admire your nice new eco-friendly paint job!

With “going green” now becoming more mainstream, fashionable, and affordable, it is important to do your homework when considering a “green” home upgrade.

One product that is often touted as being “green” is bamboo flooring. But not all bamboo flooring is created equal, and genuine “green” bamboo flooring is more the exception than the rule.

A key element of a “green” natural wood flooring product is the sourcing of that product.

Until just a couple of months ago, FSC certified bamboo flooring did not exist. (In a nutshell, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification indicates that the bamboo has been harvested in an environmentally responsible fashion). Unfortunately, it is common practice to cut down existing trees and replace them with bamboo.” In May, Smith & Fong, a San Francisco based company, secured the first FSC certification for bamboo flooring!

Indoor air quality and product off-gassing also needs to be taken into consideration when determining if a product qualifies as “green”. A recent California Air Resources Board sponsored study found that Californians spend an average of 87 percent of their 24-hour day indoors. They also estimate that indoor pollutant levels are 25-62% greater than outside levels and can pose serious health problems. Many building materials and furniture contain formaldehyde, a colorless, flammable, strong-smelling gas and known human carcinogen. Most bamboo flooring is made with formaldehyde glue. The Smith & Fong bamboo flooring also passes the “green” test in the indoor air quality category by using a formaldehyde free glue.

Another factor to consider is that most bamboo is grown in China. It could be argued FSC certified flooring made from maple trees grown in the United States is “greener” than FSC certified bamboo flooring from China due to the fuel consumed and emissions generated getting it here.

But the “greenest” flooring products are reclaimed products, or floors that have been removed from an existing structure and re-installed in another. Common sources include school gymnasiums, churches, and barns. Not only does the use of a reclaimed floor eliminate the sourcing and production of new material and the environmental detriment resulting from those activities, but it also reduces the amount of waste that goes into our landfills. Not to mention some of the nicest floors I’ve seen were on their second life, having been removed from another building.

“Green” home upgrades are a great way to make your home more valuable, comfortable, healthy, and energy efficient. But before you invest your hard earned greenbacks in “green” home upgrades, make sure you are getting a truly “green” product!

Written by John Wilcox, Realtor/Ecobroker specializing in eco-friendly real estate. For more information on “green” home upgrades and “green” homes for sale, contact John at 310-386-5646, or email him at johnwilcoxreatly@verizon.net. You can also visit his web site, www.johnwilcoxrealty.com

Snapshot & Benefits:
Home energy ratings are performed on new and existing homes to evaluate each home's energy performance. Home energy ratings are performed on new homes to verify energy performance for programs such as Energy Start Qualified homes. Existing homes may benefit from energy ratings by identifying cost-effective energy-efficiency improvements for the home. Additionally, home energy ratings are utilized by many financial institutions to qualify homes for energy-efficient mortgages.

Estimated Cost Savings:
Home energy ratings can identify cost-effective improvements that potentially save homeowners hundreds of dollars each year.

Issues:
Please be careful not to assume that your home inspector can perform an energy rating. In fact, many do not.

Getting It Done:
Energy ratings are performed by Certified Home Energy Raters. Find a list of qualified raters at the Residential Energy Services Network's (RESNET's) online Certified Rater Directory.

When it comes to going green, what a better place to start than right in your own home! Minor changes can add up to major savings, while at the same time making your home more healthy, comfortable, and valuable! A study published in The Appraisal Journal showed that energy efficiency upgrades can increase home value by more than the cost of the upgrade, especially in the face of rising utility costs. The study found that home value increases by $20 for every $1 in reduction in annual utility bills. Below are 5 things that can be done quickly, easily, and inexpensively that will allow you to take advantage of the many benefits of “going green”!

1. Install a programmable thermostat – These can be purchased for under $50.00 and can result in a 20% reduction in energy usage. This is possible by programming the thermostat so that your heater and air conditioner run less when you are asleep or at work.
2. Replace your light bulbs – Compact fluorescent light bulbs, also known as CFLs, use approximately 75% less energy than a standard incandescent bulb, and last 10 times longer. A 27 watt compact fluorescent bulb gives of the same light as a standard 100 watt incandescent bulb, yet it will burn 10,000 hours longer!
3. Add houseplants – You can cleanse the air in your home by simply adding certain types of houseplants. NASA tests show that common houseplants remove toxins through the natural process of photosynthesis - as they take up carbon dioxide, they also pick up airborne pollutants through their leaves. Examples of such plants include English ivy, peace lily, golden pothos, and spider plants.
4. Install ceiling fans – Ceiling fans are an inexpensive way to reduce energy costs, while at the same time making your home more comfortable. Multi-speed and reversible motor ceiling fans can save you 25- 40% on your electrical bills in summer and up to 10% on heating bills in the winter. The airflow produced creates a wind-chill effect, making you “feel” cooler. In the winter, reverse the motor and operate the ceiling fan at low speed in the clockwise direction. This produces a gentle updraft, which forces warm air near the ceiling down into the occupied space. Remember to adjust your thermostat when using your ceiling fan — additional energy and dollar savings could be realized with this simple step! Keep in mind that a ceiling fan cools or heats the body not the room, so for added energy savings turn the fan off when you leave the room.
5. Install low flow faucets - Low flow faucets have aerators in them to cut your water usage. These faucets use as much as 40% less water than conventional faucets, or about 2.5 gallons per minute compared to 4. For additional water savings, turn the water off when shaving and brushing your teeth, and save approximately 500 gallons a month!

When possible, purchase products that have the ENERGY STAR label, as they meet strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the EPA and US Department of Energy. According to the ENERGY STAR web site, through the purchase of ENERGY STAR LABELED products, Americans saved enough energy in 2007 alone to avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 27 million cars — all while saving $16 billion on their utility bills.