Green Planet Paints

PAINT TALK
For some environmentally conscious business owners, there’s only one kind of paint: green. And they don’t mean color.

“Green” paints, they say, are free of harmful chemicals and either have low or zero volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The Environmental Protection Agency has noted that VOCs may have short- or long-term effects on health.

The problem with paints having high VOCs is that off-gassing of contaminants occurs “from nine months to a year before the paint is fully cured,” says Jeff Frost, co-owner of a.k.a. green.

But, notes Santosh Rao, owner of Natural Territory, “You have the alternative to use healthy paint.” He says several firms are producing green paint in the Southwest, including Eco Safety Products. The company’s owner, John Bennett, reports that an advancement in a soy-based solvent allows
the new VOC-free DuraSoy One paint to be
applied both indoors and out.

Even major paint companies have been adding zero-VOCs paints to their offerings. Dunn-Edwards Paints is a prime example. Its zero-VOCs Ecoshield paint is recommended for indoor use, primarily in areas not subject to high wear and tear, according to company spokesman Robert Wendoll. “When used in appropriate areas, however, the durability of Ecoshield approaches that of conventional paints,” he states.



FROM MOTHER EARTH
Wishing your plain-old smooth walls had the textural warmth and Southwestern character of those pictured? The finish is achieved with American Clay Natural Earth Plaster, an ecologically friendly wall treatment made of a combination of clays, aggregates and natural pigments. You can see what it looks like in your own home with the Try It Kit from Albuquerque, N.M.-based American Clay Enterprises. The kit contains three bags of product, sample boards on which to test the product, a mini trowel and instructions. To order, call (866) 404-1634, or visit americanclay.com.

MAYAN MAGIC
From Green Planet Paints in Patagonia, Ariz., come these luscious colors (pictured top) produced from clay-based pigments made with ancient Mayan Indian techniques. The VOC-free paints, pictured in the company’s 4-ounce sample-size jars, are, from left, Aztec, a tawny hue, Renoir, a buff color, and Lavinia, a bluish lavender. Available from Natural Territory and a.k.a. green. For more information, contact the company at (520) 394-2571, or visit greenplanetpaints.com.

TIP: Keep windows open for about two to three days after painting to avoid exposure to paint vapors.- The Environmental Protection Agency.