At some point in the next 2 to 10 years, I know that I'm going to end up building something. Whether it's a new home or an office, I want to get up to speed now on things like renewable resources, architectural salvage, resource & energy efficiency, indoor air quality. Oh, and identifying how to build it affordably (yet another type of "green").
Today, I'm thinking about cork floors. Which takes me to wine... Can I really consider using cork floors when I know that manufacturing companies are claiming a worldwide cork shortage in relation to wine corks? Apparently cork floors are a by-product of the wine stoppers, so the waste there is being put to good use. That's a plus.
Yes, cork is "renewable," but the trees aren't harvested until they're at least 25-30 years old, and are then harvested every 9 years. The cork oak can live 150-200 years. Considering the rising popularity of cork floors, I'm not sure that they are the most responsible option when considering them as a renewable resource.
I believe I'll move on to researching bamboo.
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