• Green flooring alternatives are available.rose on old floor image by rmarinello from Fotolia.com
  
  If you are building or renovating your home, consider using flooring made from recycled or sustainable materials. Green flooring alternatives can help you save money in the long run, as well as help you do something positive for the planet. As with all environmental alternatives, beware of "greenwashing." This term refers to a product that makes eco-friendly claims as a marketing tool without actually making a positive environmental impact.
  
  

Recycled and Natural Fiber Carpet

• Carpet is a popular floor covering.feet and carpet image by jimcox40 from Fotolia.com
  
  Carpeting can be one of the worst offenders for chemical waste during production and after installation, because it emits off-gas volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Most carpeting in the United States is made from nylon or olefin (polypropylene), which are petroleum-based and produce heavy amounts of carbon during manufacture. Environmentally sustainable carpet is widely available, however. In some cases, it is more colorfast and durable than virgin fiber carpet. Priced about the same as original carpet, recycled carpeting reduces the estimated 5 billion lbs. of carpet that go into landfills each year.
  
  Interface Inc. makes carpet from soda bottles, used carpet and other plastics in a factory that approaches zero production waste. Their carpeting is sold and produced in large modular squares. As patches of carpet wear out, you can replace the individual worn tile instead of the entire floor.
  
  Natural fiber carpet is also available from companies, like the ABC Carpet & Home website, which use organic and sustainably produced materials like wool, jute and sisal.
  
  

Linoleum

• Sustainable linoleum is made from all natural materials--rosin (tree sap), wood flour (from lumber mills), cork flour (from cork bark harvested from living trees) and linseed oil (from flax plants). Eco-friendly linoleum biodegrades without off-gassing or can be safely disposed of via incineration.
  
  The Forbo Flooring website offers sustainably produced linoleum, including its Marmoleum line, which does not require any glue or adhesive.
  
  

Wood

• Using reclaimed wood flooring will save trees.forest image by DOLPHIN from Fotolia.com
  
  You can give your home a natural look with beautiful wood flooring made from sustainable timber that will not put stress on forest populations. Most sustainable wood flooring is made from bamboo and eucalyptus, as opposed to hardwoods that are more difficult to harvest without damaging the surrounding ecosystem. Wood flooring is also available from reclaimed wood pulled from demolition sites, as well as wood salvaged from land clearing and forest fires.
  
  

Cork

• Cork flooring is a durable alternative.cork image by 26kot from Fotolia.com
  
  Cork is an attractive and durable alternative to traditional hardwood flooring. It is actually made from cork tree bark, which is harvested from the living tree and takes nine to 11 years to grow back. Cork floors often vary in color, similar to other natural flooring materials like marble. The Duro Design website sells flooring made from 100 percent post-industrial recycled content from wine corks and other sustainable wood materials.
  
  

Rubber

• Rubber flooring is gaining popularity in residential settings.rubber image by vashistha pathak from Fotolia.com
  
  Rubber flooring has been used for years in commercial locations like workout rooms, and has only recently been introduced as a flooring material in homes and workplaces. Rubber flooring is distinct for its comfort, resilience, durability and ease of upkeep. It can be made from recycled rubber tires, as well as colored and patterned with recycled rubber roofing material. You might be turned off by a potential "old tire" smell, but most manufacturers now use urethane to reduce order and keep floors easy to clean.
  
  The ECO Surfaces website offers patented recycled floors from over 80 millions lbs. of tires annually and is the largest user of scrap tire rubber in the United States.