choosing paint for your home

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Choosing the right color to paint a room can be hard but the more important choice during this process is what kind of eco-friendly paint you will use! The good news is that paint for the home no longer contains lead but there are other toxic properties still used in paint that you can avoid by choosing a kinder paint. The big culprit in paint now is VOC's volatile organic compounds which are solvents that release toxins during the drying process. They cause all kinds of health problems like headaches dizziness and respiratory problems and some VOC's contain suspected carcinogens.
 
Luckily there are now many options for low-VOC or zero-VOC! But be aware that "zero-VOC" paints can still contain a small amount – but are much much better than regular paint!

For more traditional home paints that are friendlier than some commonly found options try these that are easily accessible at any Home Depot type store:

Benjamin Moore's Natura line
Sherwin-Williams' Harmony line 
Dunn Edwards' EcoShield line

There are also other kinds of paint that have natural ingredient bases! Clay paints are mostly made of minerals and water instead of chemicals and solvents. Here are some great clay paints:
 
Bioshield Clay Paints 
Green Planet Paints
 
Soy paints are another good more natural option which are made of earth-based materials.
 
EcoProcote has many soy-based paints
 
Lime paints are another type...but in my research it looks like these wear away very quickly and can only be used on exterior surfaces. Does anyone have experience or recommendations for good lime paints?
 
You can see there are many options for creating a healthier house especially considering how much time you spend in it. The best thing about using zero-VOC paints is there isn't any chemical new paint smell! The last time I painted a few rooms in my house we used the Benjamin Moore Natura line and it was smell-free! Pretty great!

If you're working on your house there are a lot of good resources available now to find trustworthy information about making home improvements in a green groovy way. Two books that have helped me in this area a lot are The Eco Chick Guide to Life: How to Be Fabulously Green by Starre Vartan and Ed Begley Jr.'s Guide to Sustainable Living: Learning to Conserve Resources and Manage an Eco-Conscious Life by my friendly eco-warrior Ed Begley. They cover everything from VOC-free paints to friendly dishwashers to making your own household cleaners!

Leave a comment if you have any other book recommendations in this genre I'm always on the lookout for more!