Argomenti trattati
Energy from renewable sources, natural fertilizers and pesticides in the garden, ecological cleaning products, sustainable materials and furnishings. There are many elements that make a home ecological. Yet one of the main sources of domestic pollution is building materials.
In fact, using natural materials for floors allows you to have a healthier air in your home first and foremost. This is due to the fact that wood and stone do not release harmful substances, unlike synthetic floors. In addition, you have to think that every material you use in your house has an impact on the environment. So here are some tips for choosing the best natural material for home flooring.
Sustainable Materials: Wood
Parquet is always one of the most popular floors. It has a timeless charm, gives a sense of warmth, matches well with any style and decor and is durable. Wood is the ecological material par excellence. In fact it has a low environmental impact, is a renewable source, is biodegradable and easily recyclable.
However, you must choose it well, if you do not want to become complicit in the problem of deforestation. Just think that 80% of the planet’s forests have already disappeared. In Asia, Africa and South America, illegal logging is common in primary forests, habitats of endangered species or home to local tribes. To avoid feeding all this, it is important to look for FSC® or PEFC™ certified products that ensure sustainable forest management.
There is also another possibility: regenerated wood, i.e. from recycled wood, other flooring or a refurbished floor. It is also a great way to save money.
Bamboo
It’s true that it comes from far away (China and Indonesia), but it is still an eco-friendly material. Bamboo is a valid alternative to wood, because the plant has a very fast regeneration time, making it easily renewable. Moreover, it does not need fertilizers or pesticides, making its cultivation comparable to organic farming. Finally, it is very resistant, requires no special maintenance and is cheaper than wood.
Other Sustainable Materials: Stone, Marble, Ceramic, Terracotta
Those in natural stone, such as marble and granite, are among the most beautiful materials to see. They also offer the advantage of being excellent insulators, keeping the house naturally cool in the summer months. In this case, however, natural is not synonymous with low environmental impact. In fact, stone is not renewable as it is extracted from the mountains, which therefore become lower every day.
And yet, stone is still the most ecological choice compared to stoneware, which is an industrial material, and ceramics, which is natural because it contains clay but requires a lot of energy for the production. A good alternative is also terracotta. In fact, it is 100% natural and it is easier to recycle than ceramics.
Linoleum
It resists to water and scratches and it is heat insulating. It is also easy to clean and cheap. And its decorations recall parquet and ceramics. Linoleum is the ecological version of PVC or synthetic rubber flooring because it is completely natural. In fact it is obtained with linseed oil, pine resin, jute, cork or wood dust, coloured only by vegetable pigments. Other advantages? It is biodegradable and easily recyclable.