Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Eco-Friendly Interior Paint: Zero VOC

I can’t believe the time has come to talk about paint! It seems like just yesterday I was discussing dirt! But we’re in the home stretch now, and with any luck we’ll be moving into our very own green home this weekend! I can’t wait to stop planning and start living!

OK, back to paint. Our walls are coated in zero-VOC paint.

Zero what? VOCs. As in volatile organic compounds. As in our paint has none. Which is a good thing since the carbon-containing chemical compounds evaporate into the atmosphere.

These compounds, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have short- and long-term adverse health effects.”

Side effects of VOCs can include eye, nose, and throat irritation; headaches, loss of coordination, nausea; and damage to the liver, kidney and central nervous system. Some have also been shown to cause cancer.

Typical paint (as well as gasoline, alcohol and nail polish, etc.) emits VOCs. We chose to forgo “typical” paint for Benjamin Moore’s Natura line of paint. Virtually odorless, 100 percent acrylic latex and available in more than 3,000 colors, Natura contains zero VOCs—even after the colorant is added.


Vibrant Colors + VOC-Free = Very Cool. :)

5 comments:

  1. I can't believe you are painting!! Oh, my. My heart is racing. That means you are moving in soon!!

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  2. Great job in looking for a "green" paint. I would just suggest being careful with the performance of the paint. It is not that easy to work with and the trim paint tends to sag. I am a contractor VT and have used it all. For the price I would look at other brands if you have not purchased all the paint yet. Way to go going Green!

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  3. Great post, I heard Natura is 0 VOC but not Non toxic, I was reading on another blog that there is a difference.

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  4. please visit www.vastutour.blogspot.com for painting as per vastu

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