The world is obsessed with sustainability these days, and people are becoming more conscious of how they live and consume, attempting to reduce their carbon footprint in order to protect our environment. Some of us reduce our use of plastic, while others participate in or donate to causes that promote green consumerism and sustainability.
Aside from making lifestyle changes to reduce your carbon footprint, did you know that converting your home into an eco-friendly environment can make a bigger difference? One way to do so is to use environmentally friendly materials in your home, such as for your flooring. Here are some things to look for when selecting eco-friendly flooring for your home.
Green Labels/Accreditation
When looking for eco-friendly flooring materials, look for products or flooring companies that have received green labels or accreditations. For example, the Singapore Green Labelling Scheme’s Green Label and the Singapore Green Building Product Scheme.
The Singapore Green Labelling Scheme is one of the region’s most prominent environmental standards and certification marks, endorsing industrial and consumer products with lower environmental impact. The public can easily identify environmentally friendly products that meet certain eco-standards with this mark.
The Singapore Green Building Product scheme evaluates and certifies products based on their environmental and health impacts throughout their entire life cycle to determine their sustainability performance.
Non-Toxic
Certain materials, even when obtained from natural sources, may contain toxic substances that are harmful to the environment and human health. For example, some composite wood flooring, such as laminate or engineered wood flooring, may contain formaldehyde, a hazardous chemical that, when inhaled in large quantities, can cause eye, nose, and throat irritation, skin rashes, wheezing, and other conditions. However, if purchased from a reputable source and produced in accordance with strict procedures and regulations, even man-made flooring materials such as vinyl flooring can be non-toxic and safe for all.
Responsibly Sourced
It is especially important to purchase responsibly sourced wood when looking for wood flooring because it is a natural resource that can deplete if not sourced ethically. Responsibly sourced wood comes from eco-friendly forests, where trees felled for our use are replanted and allowed to grow before being felled again.
Zero Waste Compliance
Zero waste compliance is a business practice that aims to eliminate waste as a byproduct of consumption. In other words, the goal is to achieve a circular economy that reuses, reduces, and recycles. When waste decomposes, it releases carbon dioxide and methane gas, both of which contribute to global warming. As a result, sustainable businesses typically take a zero-waste approach to reduce their carbon footprint and provide eco-friendly products to consumers.
High Durability
Finally, look for products that have high durability. This ensures that you produce as little waste as possible. Investing in high-quality flooring that will last for decades is an excellent way to reduce waste and your carbon footprint. Cheap flooring materials with low durability, will need to be replaced every few years, generating large amounts of waste that will harm the environment.
Look no further if you’re looking for eco-friendly flooring materials to install in your home. Floorrich is a flooring company in Singapore that provides environmentally friendly and non-toxic flooring materials that are safe for both humans and the environment. Find out more about our products here.
