Natural Products v. Man Made Products
Posted by Teresa Batterson on Thu, Aug 11, 2011 @ 09:14 AM
When starting a new project in your home, using the right material is crucial. When choosing products, it’s good to keep in mind the many advantages natural products have. Eco-friendly materials such as clay, wood, or sand have been used often in construction. Using natural products reduces the amount of harmful environmental effects that can result in the manufacturing process. Minimizing the amount of processing reduces the carbon cost. Carbon cost results from embodied energy, which is all of the energy that is consumed from the manufacturing process to the transportation and application, etc. Man made products require a lot of energy to produce, polluting the environment. Since natural products are most often found locally, less transportation is required which is cost efficient and beneficial to the environment!
Man made products can be hazardous to our health. Some materials can be highly toxic, such as plastic, some glues, asbestos, and paints. This can affect our breathing, especially if you are living in close quarters where toxic fumes are being emitted. Clay is one of the most beneficial natural building products, due to the fact that it can absorb harmful toxins and restore health. Other natural products are beneficial to our health as well due to their ability to absorb and release water depending on the amount of moisture in the air, helping to prevent dampness, mold growth, and respiratory problems.
Wood is another natural source that is energy efficient and ideal for use in natural building, and one of the most sustainable as well. Wood is very strong, ideal for vertical use and maintains strength even when bending. Wood helps maintain a building’s temperature – it’s a great insulator, thus lowering the need to use outside energy sources for heating or cooling and lowering costs in the process! There are many different qualities of wood; some types are better suited for specific project than others. An extremely durable yet flexible wood that has recently become popular in the United States is bamboo. Due to its fast growth, it’s an extremely renewable source. It’s so sturdy that it’s used for highway construction now in Asia. In the United States, it’s more frequently used in the building of floors and decorative design.
There are many other natural products that are available for building use. With careful consideration and research, natural products may be ideal for your next building project.