By JENNIFER PARRISH
Posted: 09/26/2009 01:30:27 AM PDT

Excuse the lame humor, but I was totally floored! I had never realized the staggering impact our flooring choices have on the environment until I recently began reading Ray C. Anderson's book "Mid-Course Correction."

Mind you, the book was penned way back in 1998 by the CEO of Interface, "the world's largest manufacturer of modular carpet," but its age is precisely what makes the facts and figures that Anderson quotes so astounding.

Taking stock of his company's environmental footprint, Anderson learned that in 1995 Interface and its suppliers extracted 1.224 billion pounds of raw materials from the earth to manufacture its carpets. Of these raw materials, 800 million pounds were "petro-based, coming from either coal, oil or natural gas," two-thirds of which were burned to turn the rest of the materials into carpeting.

And, that's just the impact of one company, producing one flooring material, in one year, more than a decade ago. Pretty amazing.

As you can imagine, to satisfy worldwide demand for flooring, billions and billions of pounds of raw materials are mined, chopped down and processed in factories, using a variety of dangerous chemicals. These same chemicals end up in our homes, affecting air quality and exposing our loved ones to toxic substances. It all goes to show you that our collective flooring choices really do matter, not only to the health of our planet, but also to the health of our children and families.

It's All about Choices

Green flooring is all about choices. No, I don't mean the choice between an environmentally friendly floor over one that's esthetically pleasing and comfortable. No sacrifice is involved. With green flooring, you can have it all. In fact, like Anderson's company, a large number of manufacturers have committed to going green over the last few years, creating an explosion of eco-friendly flooring options for the consumer. There's something for every taste; the only hard part is making a decision.

Lustrous Woods

Previously, installing hardwood floors went hand-in-hand with the destruction of forest eco-systems and the loss of old-growth trees. Now, thanks to a wide range of wood choices, you can enjoy beautiful hardwood floors without the guilt.

One option to explore is Forest Stewardship Council or FSC certified wood floors. This designation assures the wood has been harvested sustainably by requiring lumber companies to adhere to a set of independent standards.

Going further, for those wishing to avoid the felling of additional trees, look for reclaimed wood flooring, removed from houses, barns or industrial buildings, and ready for reuse inside your home. Finally, consider cork, whose bark can be stripped for manufacture into flooring, without killing the tree. Flexible, cork has the added benefit of being able to "heal" itself of minor dents by springing back into place.

Durable Linoleums

It you caught my previous column on PVC poly vinyl chloride, you recognize the importance of avoiding vinyl floors, often mistakenly called linoleum. If not, consider the dangers of exposure to vinyl chloride, a potent human carcinogen, whose molecules can be become "unbounded" and "volatile" in flexible forms of PVC, such as flooring.

"Vinyl flooring is very popular, but from a green standpoint, it's a product to avoid. Plasticizers called phthalates used to make PVC soft are a health hazard, especially in nurseries and play spaces," agree Johnston and Gibson, authors of "Green from the Ground Up: A Builder's Guide."

If you like the qualities of this so-called linoleum, why not try real linoleum instead? Made from linseed oil, linoleum is a non-toxic, environmentally friendly and surprisingly durable alternative. Lasting 30 to 40 years or more, it comes in a wide range of colors sure to please any palette.

Soft Carpeting

Cradle to cradle carpets -- those made from recycled plastics that can in turn be recycled at the end of their useful lives -- are all the rage. Nevertheless, I'm a bit skeptical. Yes, from one standpoint, these carpets are environmentally friendly, but I don't like the idea of using large swaths of petro-based plastics in my home. Moreover, plasticizers in these carpets outgas, damaging air quality and have who-knows-what effects on children and pets who spend large periods of time on the floor.

Instead, I prefer wool carpeting. Not only is it recyclable, but it's a natural, biodegradable product. To further minimize environmental impact, check out Greenspace's "chemical-free" and "dye-free" wool options, and make sure the carpet is installed using the least toxic, low-VOC adhesive you can find. Carpet tile is also an excellent option for minimizing waste, allowing soiled and damaged sections to be replaced without throwing the whole carpet away.

Gleaming Tile

Ceramic tile flooring is an excellent green choice. According to BuildingGreen.com, "the materials involved are readily available and mined with fairly low impact." In addition, tile is non-toxic and durable, lasting up to four times longer than other flooring materials according to Environmental Design + Construction.

To minimize environmental impact, Johnston and Gibson recommend purchasing tile that is sourced locally and made from recycled content, and installing it using thinset mortar for less off-gassing.

Jennifer Parrish writes a biweekly column for the Sentinel on environmental issues. She has a background in energy efficiency and renewable energy.

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