Minutes With Meg!: Painting The Town Green!

Painting The Town Green!

I have currently been in the market to buy a new home. As I have been touring most of these, I cannot stop thinking about how dull a room looks or how small. Then I quickly remember that a fresh coat of paint can change everything!

Paint has so much power when it comes to changing the aesthetics of a room. Walking into these homes, some were painted  very dark colors and I couldn’t help but think about how incredibly hard it could be for them to sell these spaces to new buyers. All they would have to do is change the paint color and it could potentially raise the value of the house. In my mind it made no sense, but I also thought, “dang! So all I will have to do to this house is paint! That sounds amazing!”. 

"Weirdly enough, I am one of the
few people that actually enjoy painting interiors. Though my dad
would say that painting...“it is worse than watching paint dry.”

Paint is one of the few materials we use the MOST in our homes. We use it when we get a new space and when we want to make an older space FEEL new.  By using a more sustainable paint material you can make a big impact!

You shouldn’t have to sacrifice paint color or quality in order to “go green”. Nowadays,
most big name brands carry eco-friendly paint options right on the shelf. This makes it easily obtainable. As with anything, there is still some higher price points in the market with specific variables justifying their value, however, green products has now had enough time to be developed so  prices are becoming comparable to
your regular, every day paint that has been around for years.

Reasons NOT use conventional paint...

 ​The easiest way to tell if a paint is Eco-friendly or conventional (without looking at the label) is to open the can and take a whiff. A conventional paint will smell of noxious chemicals.

Those chemicals are Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s), which hold all of the ingredients in the paint together.

When it is applied, it releases a variety of greenhouse gases and other harmful chemicals into the atmosphere. While applying this indoors, it creates unhealthy air quality and with extended exposure, can lead to respiratory and metabolic illness, headaches, etc. They can emit portions of VOC’s, biocides and plasticizers for more than a year after its application.

​What is Eco-Friendly Paint?

There are three types of eco-friendly paint. Low-VOC paints, Certified Green paint, and Natural Paint.
 Low VOC paint, while better than conventional paint, is not up to par. The VOC’s may be lower, but there is no requirements for them not to contain hazardous air pollutants and colorants.

 Certified Green Paint is a better option. This can include zero-VOC paints that also use VOC-free colorant. It is free of vinyl
and includes no toxic biocides. These can be recognized by the environmental certification seal on their label.
​
 Natural Paints are the most eco-friendly. They are primarily made from milk proteins and on-toxic pigments. This option however is not as durable as other options and color options are limited.

​A Few Brands to Get You Started

 Emerald Interior Acrylic Latex Paint
o Certified by GREENGUARD, low in VOC’s

 KILZ Original Low VOC Primer
o Low VOC
​
 Natura Paint by Benjamin Moore (my personal favorite)
o Zero VOC, asthma and allergy friendly, and gives off zero emissions after four hours of dry time

 I hope you found this tid bit about paint helpful in your journey of creating a more sustainable home!
Until Next Time, That's Minutes with Meg!

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https://www.bhg.com/decorating/paint/how-tos/how-to-choose-the-right-paint-for-all-your-home-projects-281474979815867/?utm_source=pinterest.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=social-share-article&utm_content=20190813&utm_term=undefined
http://www.oprah.com/home/how-to-choose-an-eco-friendly-paint-eco-paint-guide/all
https://www.cleanconscience.com/blog/2013/06/eco-friendly-paint-vs-conventional-paint/
https://www.quickenloans.com/blog/ecofriendly-paint-worth-money
https://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/interior-exterior-paints-stains/product-catalog/npip/natura-premium-interior-primer