Greenwashing – Is Your Flooring Really Green? Part II

Protect Yourself from Greenwashing

You probably have already read Part I of this article series which defined "greenwashing". If not, check it out here: Greenwashing – Is Your Flooring Really Green? Part I

So how can you protect yourself from being misled into purchasing faux "green" flooring? There are several identifying factors to look for when selecting green flooring to avoid purchasing floor that has been greenwashed.

First, look at the flooring’s label for their claims to "greenness". Their claims should cover more than one environmentally friendly aspect. As a truly green flooring product, the floor should be green in as many areas as possible. This includes using renewable resources or recycled content when possible, conserving water and energy use during manufacturing, reducing negative impacts on global warming, creating a healthy Indoor Air Quality (IAQ), and being recyclable or biodegradable at the end of the floor’s lifetime.

Also look at how the flooring manufacturer defines their floor’s green attributes. If they only use vague words such as "non–toxic" or "all–natural" but fail to go into detail, this is suspect. After all, formaldehyde and arsenic are both "all–natural" but still poisonous.

Next, look for proof of the floor manufacturer’s green claims. There are tons of green flooring certifications that flooring manufacturers can apply for. Chances are, if a flooring manufacturer has truly went out of their way to produce an eco–friendly, green flooring product, they will take the final step and have their product certified for proof of its green attributes. Examples of these green flooring certifications can be found at my blog titled "Avoid Greenwashing – Look for Green Flooring Certifications." Check it out so that your flooring purchase doesn’t get greenwashed!