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Green is fairly subjective. We do have LEED and independents (folks not following LEED but who do set and follow green building standards), so there is green building and green material use. It's complicated because so far no one has been able to ultimately agree on what's the greenest list of building products. Some people think that a lower VOC paint is just fine, while some think truly green would be no VOC. Some think reclaimed is better than sustainable harvested woods, and some people think you shouldn't build at all new, no matter the greenness of a product.

If you do want to build or renovate green, how then, with all the opinions, do you choose green building materials?

Environmental Building News (EBN) published a useful list that I read a while back with some great tips about how to choose green building materials. Technically it was what makes a material green, but same idea; it helps you choose. Summed up, EBN notes the following traits of green building materials.

Products made from one or more of the following - recycled materials, salvaged materials, or agricultural waste content. This seems pretty basic, but check your products carefully. Some reclaimed or recycled products have newer materials added to them. If your goal is full on green, you'll want to aim for a high percentage of reuse or recycled material.

Materials that preserve natural resources: Materials that last a long time (thus not needing to be replaced), use less of a natural resource than a conventional brand, or materials that we can reproduce rapidly are examples.

Materials that don't produce harmful toxins or emissions, or reduce toxins and other problems (like pesticides) by a decent percentage.

Materials that contribute to a healthy and safe environment: For example, products that help to remove indoor pollution, or block the production of something harmful like mold.

Each of these material issues is made up of many smaller factors and examples. Eventually we'll look at each more in-depth, but now at least you have a good basic check off list.