You’ve thought about recycling programs and bought energy-efficient appliances for your second home and even figured out how to reduce your carbon footprint for travel to that retreat. But what about your interior decor? For vacation home purchases in resort communities owners typically have choices for the interior finishes, including paint. In the green world, traditional paint is an environmental enemy, releasing toxins, or VOCs (volatile organic compounds), into the air for years after an application. Translation? Said paints can promote smog and the deterioration of the ozone layer.

As if that wasn’t enough, though, there are health concerns. Other materials found in paint are thought to be carcinogens. Then, there are the possible health annoyances that VOCs can cause: skin and eye irritation, headaches, nausea, and more. The smell alone is enough for some people to say “no thanks” to traditional paint finishes.

There are now multitudes of safer paints available for consumers. Larger companies are making low-VOC and non-VOC formulas, and there are even natural or non-toxic paints.

So what’s the difference between the labels? Low-VOC paints should contain less than 250 grams per liter for latex paints, or 380 grams for oil-based paints. Non-VOC formulas contain even less, typically less than 5 grams in each liter. Natural, or non-toxic, paints may be made from a base of milk protein (or casein), plant oils, and natural minerals.

Following is a guide to a handful of green paint producers. You’ll recognize plenty of the big names. Just be sure to read labels when you’re selecting a paint for your home. A key symbol to look for is the Green Seal label for low-VOC paints, which sticks to stricter standards than the EPA guidelines. By being selective, you’ll know exactly what is going in your vacation home and into the environment.

LOW-VOC

Benjamin Moore Aura
www.myaurapaint.com

ZERO-VOC

AFM Safecoat
www.afmsafecoat.com

American Pride
www.americanpride.com

Sherwin Williams Harmony
www.sherwin.com

NATURAL

Auro
www.aurousa.com

Old Fashioned Milk Paint Company
www.milkpaint.com

Yolo Colorhouse
www.yolocolorhouse.com