There is No PLANet B!

January's Green Article of the Month!

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Why not put a cork in it?

Thinking Green by Trudy Whitney

   In 1955, my parents began construction on what became arguably the coolest ranch style house in a new development a couple of blocks from White Rock Lake in Dallas, Texas.  Everything in it was strictly cutting edge including central air conditioning, an intercom system and industrial surfaces. With Grandma, a housekeeper, four children and one more baby on the way, my folks wanted a beautiful home, but sought out the practicality of built in beds, toy boxes, and cork flooring.  Cork flooring?  Yes, indeed and with good reason.  

   The flooring was a natural sound barrier, had excellent bounce back qualities, objects did not shatter when dropped, children did not slip on it, and it was already the color of dirt. Alas, in the 70’s, my parents succumbed to shag carpet and that was the last time I ever thought about cork until now.

   Cork continues to be an excellent option in flooring.  It has many benefits and, in fact, is a prized material in some places. It is fire resistant, anti-static, good thermal insulation, impermeable to liquids and gases, and hypo-allergenic. The cork that is harvested from trees quickly grows back making cork a sustainable building material. The Cork Oak Trees that grow only in Mediterranean regions are considered a natural treasure and protected by local laws. 

   Along with cork, there are now many interesting sustainable products used in flooring these days.

Have you considered the “Big Bamboo”?

  It takes between 50 and 100 years for an Oak Tree to be harvested to make hardwood flooring.  Bamboo is not only beautiful but clearly the fastest growing source of wood flooring on the planet.  Anyone who has had to eradicate bamboo on their fence line can attest to that statement. 

  Bamboo is actually a grass that takes two to three years to mature large enough to cut planks for flooring.  Bamboo flooring can cost up to fifty percent less than traditional hardwood products but will scratch just like its tree cousins. Bamboo can be stained to resemble anything from Oak to Maple and it is fire resistant.

A little slab will do ya

   I want to revisit concrete because in a way it also is a sustainable product.  It is already right under your feet and can do double duty as your foundation and your flooring.  Concrete can be stained nearly any color, stenciled and scored to resemble tile.  Even if you have a nail hole or ding in your concrete, a little touch up paint and water based sealant will fix the flaw.  There is never a need for spot removers or pet odor products. Just don’t drop a plate on it.

All this said, I would not encourage you folks with hardwoods to remove them because you feel guilty about the trees.  The damage has already been done. But, when you get ready to rip up the shag made with Nylon, or the vinyl made with petroleum products, consider the options I have put in this article.  If you don’t believe me, then “Google” sustainable flooring products.