greenhome

Ten Lessons

FSC Certified

The Forest Stewardship Council is an international organization whose certification process provides consumers with assurance that wood was harvested from well-managed forests and plantations. Be sure to look for the FSC label when purchasing wood. fscus.org

LEED Green Building Rating System

A national standard established by members of the US Green Building Council, it provides a framework for assessing building performance and sustainability. It is an acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. usgbc.org

Offgas

The release of vapors from a material; many materials in the home offgas formaldehyde and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Rapidly Renewable Resources

Don’t contribute to deforestation; instead, use products made from rapidly renewable resources that regenerate quicker than the demand for the products—bamboo and cork for example.

VOCs

Volatile organic compounds are a range of chemical substances that become airborne, or volatile, at room temperature. They are found in paint, wood preservatives, aerosol sprays, glues, cleansers and disinfectants, moth repellents, dry-cleaned clothing, and even air fresheners. VOCs are a major source of indoor air pollution, exposure can cause symptoms ranging from nausea, eye irritation and headaches—just think of how your dog will feel being that much “nearer” to the source TIP: by choosing a zero to low-VOC water-based paint, you can really reduce, or even eliminate, this concern.

ECO-FRIENDLY TIPS FOR THE HOME

“Living close to the earth” isn’t an abstraction but a fact of life for our canine companions. Because they’re so much closer to the surfaces of our homes and yards than we are, thoughtful choices—particularly in yard care, flooring and bedding—are a wise investment in their health and well-being … and our own.

Here are a few ideas to get you started (see the “Hot Links” list for connections to websites that go into greater detail).

• Got snails? Get a non-toxic slug and snail bait—sold under the names Sluggo, Safer and Es-car-go—which can be safely used around pets and wildlife. Or use copper tape around the edges of planter boxes, pots and raised beds to repel these destructive chewers.

• Low-tech yard care—better for the planet, safer for your dog. Use organic rather than chemical fertilizers (and use them conservatively), water thoroughly but not too often, encourage a variety of plants, avoid pesticides like the plague!

• Fleas on the dog, in the house or in the yard? Effective non-toxic alternatives are available, and even simple things—washing your dog’s bedding weekly in hot water, vacuuming frequently, using a flea comb and improving your dog’s diet—can all make a positive difference.

• As long as we’re talking about cleaning, here’s another area where less- or non-toxic choices abound. Baking soda, borax, cornstarch, isopropyl alcohol, lemon juice, mineral oil, soap (not detergent), steel wool, vinegar, washing soda and some old-fashioned elbow grease are safe substitutes for the myriad chemicals we’ve become accustomed to using.

• When buying a new bed for your co-pilot, look for those using natural and—ideally—organic materials. For example, commercial cotton is often heavily sprayed with pesticides while growing and with chemical defoliants before harvesting, so organic cotton is a better choice.

• New floors in your future? Know your woods—FSC (Forest Stewardship Council)-certification indicates that the source is committed to responsible management of the world’s forests, reclaimed wood can be put to new and attractive uses, and bamboo is high on the list of versatile and sustainable materials.

• Particleboard is notorious for emitting urea-formaldehyde; avoid it if possible. If not, seal it.

• When you’re ready to spruce up the place—redo wood floors, paint the walls, give your dog’s favorite chair a new finish—look for nature-based products or those with low- or no VOCs; we’ve lived safely with plant oils, citrus oils, tree and plant resins, and natural waxes such as beeswax for thousands of years.

(Making home repairs? This just in—polyurethane glue, an expanding adhesive, comes in tubes and can cause dogs serious trouble if they ingest it, by, say, chewing the tube. Once in the stomach, the glue expands and turns into a hard mass. Next thing you know, emergency surgery is on your dog’s schedule! See the ASPCA Poison Control Center for more—aspca.org)

•Speaking of natural materials, don’t forget coir, jute, seagrass and sisal floor coverings. These plant-fiber carpet materials are great green alternatives to treated synthetics.

•As far as high-traffic or heavily used floors go, linoleum and cork beat vinyl any day of the week and twice on Sunday. Vinyl is made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), one of the most hazardous materials going to manufacture, and one that outgasses VOCs for years after installation.

•And finally, for a quick hit of inspiration, sign up for “the Daily Bite” from Ideal Bites, a website full of ideas for making better—and greener—buying decisions. Pet care products are included. idealbite.com

Hot Links—

seventhgeneration.com

nrdc.org

pesticidefreeyards.org

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