Green Paint – No, Not the Color This Time

Photo courtesy Angela Shenk

It used to be when I mentioned green paint, folks’ minds would immediately turn to the color green.  Sometimes even their faces would turn slightly green at the thought of  that 1970’s avocado shade of green.  But that is a subject for another post.  Today we are exploring green paint of every color.

Gone are the days when American paint companies poured all kinds of lead into our household paint.  Now newer ‘cleaner’ paints are arriving on the market and are more readily available.  Some companies are choosing to only make paint with low or no volatile organic compounds (VOCs).  Others have launched alternative lines of no or low VOC paints in addition to their traditionally made paints.

What are VOCs and what do they do anyway?  Well, according to the United States Geological Survey,  VOCs are “[h]ydrocarbon compounds that have low boiling points….”  They evaporate into our air quite readily.  “Propane, benzene, and other components of gasoline are all volatile organic compounds.”  We worry about VOCs because they contaminate ground-water and some of the compounds “persist in and migrate with ground-water to drinking-water supply” and have been shown to be toxic to humans.  Source: http://toxics.usgs.gov/definitions/vocs.html.

Several companies such as California Paints, Benjamin Moore’s Natura Line, and Yolo Colorhouse provide beautiful and luxurious colors in low and no VOC paints.  These paints have low or no odor and many dry quickly.  Yolo Colorhouse provides some of the longest-lasting no VOC paint on the market.  Beautifying your home with paint is one of the best things you can do for yourself.  Take your time to explore and learn more about these newer, green paints.  You can be green and have a gorgeously painted home.  Have a wonderful time discovering these exciting paint options.

Feel free to Pin this information on your Pinterest account for future reference and share it with your friends.  Remember, if you have any questions, send me an email, call me or contact me on Twitter, Pinterest, or Facebook.

Warm regards,

Bill