By Don Evans, Vice president, sales and marketing, EarthWerks
Green is not just a marketing tool; it’s something that balances responsibility to our environment as well as the bottom line. When you look to find manufacturers serious about the environment as well as design, it is helpful to know they have a history of taking the correct steps, not just reacting to marketing buzz.

Being eco-friendly has become more than that. The leading measurement today is USGBC’s LEED program. Whether using floors that are vinyl or wood, green- friendly designers, architects, builders and consumers are looking for ways to participate and this program provides a scale upon which they can measure. It has evolved over many years and is a standard that can be used by the consumer to identify green products.

With today’s green-conscious consumers, reclamation and reuse of products that can be remanufactured for the cradle-to-cradle approach is important, especially as it pertains to vinyl flooring products. Look to manufacturers that understand the concept and participate in it by their actions and historical dedication. It challenges companies to manufacture products to the highest international ISO standards, which ensures producers, throughout their supply chain, are taking extraordinary measures to minimize the use of natural resources while maximizing energy conservation throughout the process. It involves their suppliers as well the manufacturing process.

With wood flooring, standards are moving in the right direction. Factories are working to buy more Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified raw materials and follow the documentation in their chain of custody practices. It is getting better, but reality shows a small percentage of the actual log has been cut and milled according to FSC standards. And, what is delivered to the standards costs more.

Just because the material is not FSC certified does not mean a product is inferior. It may mean the manufacturer has not yet completed the steps to be certified. Again, look for companies that are participating actively in the process. The good news is the industry is moving forward and the dialogue worldwide is making a difference.