It seems that everywhere you turn, someone is claiming that their product is “green.”  The problem is that many of these claims can be misleading, and environmentalists have coined a term to describe this process: “greenwashing.” Basically, greenwashing is claiming a product is environmentally friendly when it is not.

The reason for this is clear: consumers are demanding the use of green products, but often do not understand the full meaning of the term. Being green is much more than just being a rapidly renewable material. To truly recognize a product’s greenness, one must look at its entire life cycle, from cradle to grave. It's not a matter of simply whether raw materials can be replaced quickly, but how those materials are used when making a finished product, and what happens to them once their useful life is over.

Wood flooring is the only flooring option available that is completely sustainable. It comes from a factory called a forest, and uses a renewable source of energy called the sun. Most hardwood trees, the material used to make wood floors, take 40-60 years to mature. And while those trees are maturing, they produce oxygen. Best of all, because wood floors can last hundreds of years, the inventory planted today will be ready to harvest long before it is needed.

Wood floors also use very few natural resources when being produced, which adds to their eco-friendliness. They use less water and energy to manufacture than other flooring alternatives, and when they reach the end of their usefulness, wood floors can be burned for fuel or recycled.

Check out some frequently asked questions about wood flooring and its relationship with the environment.