Take a walk on the green side

If you want to tread lightly on the planet, a good place to start is by walking on eco-friendly flooring in your home.

And the flooring material that is currently rated as THE green alternative to carpeting, tiles or timber is bamboo, not only because it is a sustainable resource, but also because it is really attractive.

Bamboo is actually a grass that grows at an immensely rapid rate and reaches maturity in four to six years, unlike hardwood trees that take decades. What is more, cutting the stalks of bamboo actually promotes further growth in the plant, which means that it is not destroyed during harvesting as trees are.

Bamboo is also extremely versatile, with stalks, strips and fibres now being put to good use in all sorts of applications besides flooring, including furniture, countertops, blinds, window shutters and even organic clothing.

And it is important to note that the species of plant that is used to create such products is not the species eaten by panda bears, so you don't have to worry about them being further endangered if you install a bamboo floor.

However, there are some other things you should check on first. You need to check with your supplier, for example, that no rainforest has been harmed in the harvesting of the bamboo to be used in your home.

You should also ensure that any laminates, sealants and glues that will be used to install your floor are manufactured from environmentally friendly substances - and that they will not give off volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that could affect the air quality in your home and possibly even damage your health.