Green Options » carpet

Iranians Create World’s Largest Sand Carpet “Persian Gulf”

Jennifer Lance — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 18:53:54 +0000

Using colorful sand from the Iranian southern island of Hormuz, 25 artists have created the world’s largest sand carpet. This 12000-square-meter carpet consists of 70 different colored sands and is truly amazing!

Via: payvand

Images: Iranian Students’ News Agency

GreenBuildingTalk: Furniture, Flooring, and More at NEOCON ‘08

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 19:28:46 +0000

Editor’s note: You might expect a post about an event called NEOCON to appear on Red, Green & Blue, but, as our friends at GreenBuildingTalk point out, NEOCON is a trade show for interior furnishings (with no particular ideological leanings, we’re guessing). The show took place in GBT’s hometown of Chicago, so they got a first-hand look at NEOCON’s green offerings. This post was originally published on Tuesday, June 17, 2008.

The National Exposition of Contract Interior Furnishings (NEOCON) was held this past week in Chicago, and GreenBuildingTalk was there to check out the unique combination of over 1,200 residential and commercial showrooms and exhibits. With our goal of discovering new green products, Josh and I made our way through the maze of office furniture, flooring, wallcoverings, and hundreds of chairs.

Amidst the legions of chairs, our first discovery was RealForm Technology’s plant-based polyurethane foams, products used for seating applications. The polyurethane foams contain 20% bio-based content, and the company’s laboratory trials have achieved even higher Bio-Polyol substitution, foams capable of being molded for any type of furniture, including sofas. RealForm’s Realbio foam product is leading the way in eco-friendly furniture foam, and is one to keep an eye on.

Recyclable Carpet Tiles for Your Child’s Room

Jennifer Lance — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 17:02:38 +0000

Like many girls her age, my daughter loves Disney princesses; however, this eco-mom does not. Besides the lack of multiculturalism and the message of young women depending upon princes to rescue them, it is the “junk toy” quality of Disney products that keeps them out of our home. When my daughter saw that FLOR made modular carpet tiles from recycled content with Disney princesses on them, she thought her letter to Disney had worked and convinced the company to go green. Who am I to burst her bubble and tell her that FLOR Carpet Tiles are actually made by InterfaceFLOR.

InterfaceFLOR has created Mission Zero, a company pledge “to completely eliminate the negative impact our company may have on the environment by 2020.” The company further explains its commitment to sustainability:

Our intention is to put back more than we take out

Our intention is to eliminate waste and harmful emissions, whilst maximising our use of renewable energy

We aim to recycle waste materials and reuse our products

Our company culture fully integrates the principles of sustainability

Daily Tip: Sustainable Flooring

Amy Stodghill — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 16:20:32 +0000

There’s more than just bamboo when it comes to sustainable flooring. More green alternatives are available now for several types of flooring material. So, whether you’re looking to re-carpet the living room or want to re-do your kitchen, here are a few things to consider when thinking about flooring.

Buy recycled content or renewable materials.

Bamboo and cork are renewable resources, as is wood when it is sustainably harvested.
Look for carpets made from recycled materials or natural fibers. Rubber flooring is also made from recycled materials and can be recycled, or down-cycled (made into another product) afterwards.
There are many types of all-natural linoleum available, and tiles can be manufactured with recycled content.
Keep in mind that some materials need sealants or glues during the installation process that may not be so green, such as cork or stone. Others, like bamboo and wood, may contain additives such as formaldehyde, or are made of composites with undesireable materials such as vinyl, including some cork products and linoleum.

Look for salvaged materials.

Flooring materials such as wood, stone and tile can often be found at building supply salvage centers. They may need some refurbishing and prep, but will be cheaper and greener than buying them new.

Maintenance and upkeep. This is a common consideration in all flooring decisions, but is even more important when thinking about green choices. For example:

High trafficked areas will need a more durable material, but will also need to be cleaned more frequently. You’ll have to decide what types of cleaning products will be needed and if those are very eco-friendly.
Wall-to-wall carpeting is a magnet for dust, dustmites and mold, decreasing the indoor air quality. An alternative could be using carpet tiles or area rugs.

The Green Home Guide lists several tips in helping you consider sustainable flooring for your home, pros and cons of different products, and a buyers guide to green flooring materials.

Additional Information and Resources:

Green Home Guide - 8 Tips for Selecting Healthy and Environmentally Sound Flooring

Green Home Guide - Navigating the Flooring Thicket: Find the Greenest Way to Meet Your Needs

Green Home Guide - Buyer’s Guide to Green Flooring Materials

Care2 - Salvaged Wood Flooring

Care2 - Rethinking Carpet

Green Living Ideas - Flooring

Eco-Effective Decisions: Who Wants to Un-Screw the Cork?

What Grabs You: Non-Toxic Home Design!

How to Find a Green Builder – Part 1

How to Find a Green Builder — Part 2

Smart HomeOwner: Better Home, Better Planet

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