A Discussion Of Green Materials For Home Improvement | Healthy ...

A Discussion Of Green Materials For Home Improvement

Being green is tough, as it?s always easy to know if a product really is made out of eco-friendly material or not. To help you out, here is a list of materials I have researched that are either reliably green or where the certification is trustworthy enough so that you can at least know that the harvesting was ecologically friendly.

Abaca:

This rarely known fibre is a variety of banana, though unfortunately it is inedible. Abaca fibres are traditionally known as manila hemp, named after the Philippines? capital city. Manila envelopes and folders used to be made from abaca and it is in this form that it is most famous. Now, Abaca fibres are used to make clothes, fans and rugs, and due to their tough yet flexible fibres they are widely used in industry. What makes it eco-friendly is that the entire plant is used when harvested, and that it has a very high growth rate making it a reliable and renewable resource.

Bamboo:

Given that you are reading Healthy Green Living Today, I?m sure you already know of many bamboo products and how it has proved to be one of the greenest resources out there. In fact it?s hard to think of a product that doesn?t have a bamboo version. It?s being used to build everything from houses to bicycles and even clothes! Like Abaca the fast growth rate of bamboo means that it is a rapidly renewable resource and also means there is no need for pesticides and fertilisers in its growth, making it a green and competitively cheap material to grow.

Seagrass:

Probably the most unexpected of plants to be on this list, but seagrass is the up and coming green material, as its cultivation and harvest is actual beneficial to eco-systems. It helps to create eco-systems, protects against coastal erosion, and stabilises the seabed. Due to its underwater heritage, seagrass is naturally stain resistant and is a durable and strong resource. Its main uses are for wicker furniture and rugs.

Hemp:

Although a controversial material (and no you won?t get high from just hemp), hemp is a very green and useful one. Originally used to make rope, sacks and other products where a strong fibre was needed over a comfortable one, hemp is part of the ?mop crop? meaning it helps to remove contaminants such as radiation and excess phosphorus from soil. It can be used in a range of materials including bricks, clothes and paper. It is also extremely fast growing meaning that like bamboo there is little need for pesticides and fertilisers.

Wood:

The most famous of all the green materials, wood is a strong and malleable material which is used for all sorts of products including houses, furniture, sports equipment and wooden blinds. Wooden products also offer a form of carbon sequestration as their long life spans ensure that the carbon used by the tree whilst growing is trapped in the wood. Having said that wood is the most likely material to be over exploited. For example Illegal and unregulated logging leads to massive deforestation which in turn leads to a reduction in bio diversity as well as releasing more carbon dioxide and causing greater soil erosion. Part of the problem lies in the fact that trees tend to grow far more slowly than the other plants mentioned in this article making them more vulnerable.

There are, however, options to find a greener solution to the wood dilemma, and that is to look for FSC certified wood. The FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) ensures that trees are harvested ethically, which means that what is harvested is replaced so that biodiversity and forests can be maintained.

Source: http://www.healthygreenlivingtoday.com/green-materials-for-home-improvement/

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