Whether you are looking to paint your shed or you are tired of blank white walls, you may be all set to search out your favorite colors and go to work, but what does your home improvement project mean for the environment?  The unfortunate truth is that paint can be very problematic for the environment and finding eco friendly solutions is not nearly as easy as it should be.  The problem that you are going to run into, however, is that the things that make paint as durable as it is tend to be very rough on the world, and that can make painting the exterior of any building a daunting task.

The first thing that you should be aware of is how paint affects the environment.  Though lead in paint was once a major concern, this type of paint has now been outlawed.  Do be concerned though, of old paint jobs that might have lead still in them.  Be aware of the fact that many paints will produce volatile organic compounds, things that will be released into the air even after the paint dries.  These VOCs have been known to cause cancer in animals and in humans, but even their less dire products can be an issue.  An excess of certain VOCs can lead to things like recurring headaches, skin allergies, irritation of delicate tissues and dizziness.

As bad as this is for you, think about how bad it is for the environment!  VOCs can contaminate ground water supplies or even release more ozone into the air.   Some also contribute to global warming through prolonging the life of methane in the atmosphere, and at the end of the day, you’ll find that there are a number of different things that you need to consider before you paint that shed!

Knowing all of this about the paints that you can buy, what is going to be safe?  Essentially, you need to make sure that you are reading the labels very carefully.  Some paints have VOCs that do not cause cancer, and some have very low VOC output, but also remember that paints that replace some of their binders with acetone and ammonia are actually no better.  The problem is that there is virtually no paint out there that is free of VOC; these substances do allow paint to stay where you put it and to continue looking fresh.  Paint does spoil and it does go bad, and it is largely fairly dangerous chemicals that prevent it from doing so.

Consider other alternatives to paint; if you are building your own home, consider using wood or brick.  If you do need to paint, research it as thoroughly as you can and make sure that you stop to consider what the consequences may be.  Look up the ingredients list and be very aware of what you are bringing into your home.  Being responsible about the home repairs that you make can go a long way towards creating a smaller environmental footprint, not to mention being significantly healthier for you and your family!