If you have been around here for more than five minutes you know that I use the greenest products I can find. \u00a0Eco friendly paint, stains and finishes are the only reason I can continue to work on furniture. \u00a0There is no way I could use oil based toxic stuff all day, breathing in chemicals that everyone agrees are bad for you.<\/p>\n
Funny enough I still get asked all the time why I only use “eco stuff”. \u00a0I guess some people just think I’m being difficult. \u00a0I really believe \u00a0that all the “eco stuff” we use and do around the shop and house are very important. \u00a0Why you ask?<\/p>\n
1. There are a lot of chemicals that are really bad for you. \u00a0And they are approved to be used in your house.<\/strong>\u00a0 A lot of chemicals are presumed innocent until proven guilty. \u00a0That means instead of proving a chemical is safe to use, the government requires the chemical company to report if it’s been proven to be harmful. \u00a0It’s a very important distinction. \u00a0So if there is no evidence the chemical is harmful \u00a0= safe! \u00a0Years later we find out that wasn’t true after a bunch of people get sick. \u00a0Think lead paint and asbestos.<\/p>\n 2. I am a DIYer. \u00a0I work at home.<\/strong> \u00a0I do not have the industrial exhaust system to comply with most of the use recommendations on the label. \u00a0Adequate ventilation does not mean a small fan and a tiny window in the basement.<\/p>\n 3. The other stuff stinks.<\/strong>\u00a0 Since my eco thing has been a progressive journey, there are still cans of paint and finishes downstairs that aren’t low VOC etc. \u00a0I opened one to touch something up in the living room. \u00a0It stunk like hell. \u00a0Since I am not used to it at all anymore I immediately was nauseous and got a headache. \u00a0Once you take the toxic smog away, your body really does respond when you bring it back. \u00a0I can’t walk through the plastic garbage can aisle at Target without getting the same headache.<\/p>\n 4. The environment matters. \u00a0Especially for Lincoln. \u00a0<\/strong>When you use a toxic finish, not only does the off gassing effect your health, it also off gasses into the air. \u00a0 You know, where birds fly. \u00a0And then it comes back down with the rain and gets into the soil. \u00a0You know, where our food grows. \u00a0Besides the using of it, the process of making it and disposing of it can be quite messy. \u00a0 All the things we buy and use have to go somewhere. \u00a0They don’t just disappear.<\/p>\n 5. Greener finishes are safer to have around. \u00a0<\/strong>Do you know what happens when you take a pile of rags soaked with an oil based poly? \u00a0Fire. \u00a0Spontaneous Combustion. \u00a0Like this.<\/p>\n Burlington Police: Man Burned, Explosion at Laundromat<\/a><\/p>\n And this. \u00a0In a school.<\/p>\n School Fire Due to Spontaneous Combustion of Oily Rags<\/a><\/p>\n And this. \u00a0Where the house was destroyed. \u00a0(And the dog dies. \u00a0Seriously the dog died because of a toxic finish!)<\/p>\n Fire started by oil-stained rags claims another Portland home<\/a><\/p>\n So as you can see I am not just being difficult. \u00a0Vermont Natural Coatings<\/a>\u00a0tweeted about the first story the other day. It was a reminder that their\u00a0PolyWhey<\/a>,\u00a0the poly I use most around here on furniture and floors, is not flammable. \u00a0It’s a little piece of mind. \u00a0After all I have three very precious boys who sleep above my shop every night.<\/p>\n<\/h1>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"