Green Heron in Chesapeake Life
The Green Heron Flooring Company is currently featured in Chesapeake Life's "Going Green:
Thirty-one ways you can help the Bay" written by Kessler Burnett, Joe Sugarman, and Elizabeth B. Wrightson. This well researched and written article highlights a number of ways you can bring green into your life with the help of progressive entities such as Green Heron, located at #16 on their list of 31 solutions. Visit the article here.
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Bamboo: Sustainable Beauty
 Bamboo grows in many places in the world. Typically thriving in regions of the world that have moist climates and frequent heavy rains such as China where one fifth of the world’s bamboo is grown. Because of the heavy demand for bamboo, the Chinese have developed a managed forestation program for bamboo. This accomplishes two highly eco conscious goals. The first is to sustain China's indigenous tree species by having designated bamboo foresting areas, this enables the economy of these areas to thrive thus reducing the need for clear cutting new areas for farming. Secondly, bamboo is one of the most sustainable wood solutions on the planet. Taking five years to reach maturity, bamboo is cut and supplied for many areas where conventional woods are typically used.
The bamboo here at the Green Heron Flooring Company is either of the Mao Zhu or Moso family of bamboo. These bamboos are prized for their straightness and superior strength. Grown in a cooler climate than most bamboo its cellular density and therefore hardness is superior to oak. Our manufacturers are committed to using German adhesives that are renowned for having no VOC’s and therefore no off gassing. Because all of our bamboos are fully matured they have natural resistance to water absorption which makes them perfect for almost all applications.
Sustainable, durable, and naturally beautiful bamboo offers many solutions to people who concerned with our environment. Stop by the Green Heron showroom today and look through our extensive bamboo collection.
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Marmoleum: A Natural Story
 Marmoleum has been around for nearly 100 years. Why? Because the products used in the manufacturing of Marmoleum are made from natural, raw products. These products include: linseed oil, rosins, wood flour, and jute. One of the main benefits of this process is a natural resistance to bacteria, micro-organisms, and dust mites. For this reason it is widely used in the medical profession. Another benefit of Marmoleum is a natural resistance to static, reducing dust attraction and static shock.
Marmoleum is easy to install, coming in sheet or tile form. It also has a wide palette of colors and pattern options, enabling a astounding degree of design and pattern choices. Stop by the Green Heron Flooring showroom and peruse our selection of products for Marmoleum.
Marmoleum. Green product, great finish.
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Sustainability: An Environmental Solution for Your Home
Sustainability means many things: to withstand, to maintain, and to nourish.
For many years, the objective of most manufacturers has been to provide a durable and beautiful product for their potential clients. As time has progressed, we as a society have begun to find that sometimes these desires come at a cost: deforestation, harmful VOC’s, depletion, and abuse of native beauty and resources.
 To end this cycle, many manufacturers have begun to provide beautiful, durable, and, most importantly, sustainable products. To accomplish this feat, they have begun to practice these tenants of sustainability:
To withstand the pressure to harvest uncontrollably, while providing education about preservation of wild stock.
To maintain indigenous stocks of freestanding trees, and while offering beauty and durability.
To nourish “green” thinking and practices, evolving with the revolution in the eco-conscious philosophy.
We at The Green Heron Flooring Company believe in this pro-active eco-consciousness movement. While we carry many different products, we pride ourselves on being able to provide sustainable products such as: Bamboo, Cork, Plantation-Raised Exotic Hardwoods, Ice Stone, and Ancient River Recovered Woods. Stop by our showroom today and peruse our fine selection of sustainable products.
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What are VOC's and why are they harmful?
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC's) are organic chemical mixtures that have high vapor pressures. These pressures enable the compounds to easily vaporize and enter the atmosphere. VOC's are found in: paint thinners, gasoline, wood preservatives, methane, cosmetics, and carpet backing. These are just a few of the many products that contain VOC's.
Some of the harmful effects of VOC's include: increased global warming (methane), leukemia (benzene, toluene, and xylene), respiratory sickness (ozone), and sick building syndrome that effects people living in the building (paint, carpet backing, plastics, and cosmetics).
Unfortunately, many VOC's are found in flooring products. However, with careful research we have been able to find flooring products that are not only low in VOC's (bamboo, hardwood, cork, tile, and carpeting), but also have an overall high level of eco-friendly attributes. Stop by and ask one of our salespeople about low VOC product.
Cork, a low VOC product, was used in the construction of Chestertown Natural Foods. See an example of what a finished cork floor can do for your home or business.
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Laminate Flooring and the Environment
Laminate flooring was introduced to the United States in 1982 and has remained a popular choice ever since. Laminate flooring has enjoyed its success due to the conglomeration of: good looks, durability, and an eco-friendly process.
A process of taking component layers (a backing layer, core layer, printed décor layer, and protective layer) and fusing them together under heat and pressure makes laminate flooring. These layers are made of reclaimed paper and wood products making it a low VOC product that uses little in the way of virgin materials.
Laminate flooring is highly durable and requires little maintenance. It also works well in areas with higher moisture contents because of the layering of the product. Its pattern is applied using a process that uses a water based resin system that typically does not include heavy metals or VOC heavy solvents. When you are ready to replace you laminate floor, you can take heart in the fact that the flooring is easily removed and highly recyclable.
Stop by our Showroom and ask about Faus and Tarkett laminate floors. Our salespeople will be happy to answer your questions regarding this eco-friendly product.
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