Greenwashing – Is Your Flooring Really Green? Part I

What is Greenwashing?

Dictionary.com defines greenwashing as "The dissemination of misleading information by an organization to conceal its abuse of the environment in order to present a positive public image."

You see the word "green" everywhere, from green cars to green flooring and even green toilet paper. With the explosion in manufacturing of green products over the last several years, it comes as no surprise that the word "green" has become misused and abused by some flooring companies.

Being that the word "green" means eco–friendly in the most general sense, it covers a wide range of possibilities. A so–called "green" flooring product may be green in one area, but not in several others. As a good example, bamboo flooring is generally considered a green flooring choice as it is made from bamboo stalks, which are a rapidly renewable resource. However, some, certainly not all, bamboo flooring manufacturers use formaldehyde and other poisonous products in their bamboo and/or use environmentally irresponsible cultivating, harvesting, and manufacturing processes. In these cases, bamboo flooring should not be considered green flooring, but often is. Luckily, there are several Green Flooring Certifications to avoid greenwashing.

Check out Greenwashing – Is Your Flooring Really Green? Part II to learn how to protect yourself from greenwashing.