Great Local Find: Jill’s Paint in Atwater Village

Jill’s Paint is an old-fashioned specialty paint store whose merchandise includes a commitment to environmentally-friendly alternatives.

What an incredible green gem of a resource this place is! From paints to stains to recycled plastic buckets and bamboo brushes, Jills Paints has all of their green bases covered. They even offer environmentally friendly adhesives and cleaning solutions.

The staff is incredibly knowledgeable and eager to help, and their hospitality is vast and rare to find in today’s market. Where else can you find this type of green selection while being treated to a glass of wine to celebrate the afternoon?

If you’re looking for a wide selection of green paints, great advice, and top notch customer service, then you have got to give Jill's Paints a try:
3534 Larga Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90039
(323) 664-9067
www.Jillspaint.net

The answer to improved indoor air quality is right under our feet!

What's one of the biggest culprits in poor indoor air quality? CARPET.

Much research has been conducted to understand the effects of interior carpeting on indoor air quality, mostly due to it's high content of chemicals and restrictive air-flowing properties. One of the most common emitted chemicals from manufactured carpeting is styrene and 4-PC. Styrene is a well-known toxin and carcinogen, while 4-PC is a latex backing used in 95% of carpets which emits a strong odor, one that is most notable during the first few weeks of the carpet's installation. 

In addition to off-gasing its own pollutants, carpet als acts as a filter, trapping all pollutants from the bottom of our shoes or feet, from animals, etc, and holding them in our living space. Consistent vacuuming and steam cleaning can help eliminate these pollutants but will not eliminate them all. Area rugs are a good compromise, as they can be cleaned and aired out more thoroughly. Fortunately, more and more carpet manufacturing companies are using sealants and adhesives that are low-VOC and less harmful for the environment. 

In The Go Green Home, to help maintain good indoor air quality,  we decided to use cork flooring, a very sustainable alternative to treated lumber or carpeting, due to its rapid regeneration process. The cork floor is sealed with a non-toxic finish, and will not trap pollutants in the way that carpet does. We're also making it convenient to take off your shoes when you first enter the house so that you don't have to track the day's worth of pollutants inside with you.