Products for greener home

• Building products

Problem: As the world's appetite for wood and agricultural land grows, we're consuming forests faster than they can grow or than we can replace them. Deforestation (of about 27,000 square miles annually) and poor forestry management cause erosion, diminish air and water quality, and leave fewer trees to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Better choices: The gold standard for responsible forest management is certification by the Forest Stewardship Council (www.fsc.org). Ask your builder or contractor to use lumber with the FSC stamp (a checkmark and a tree).

Or consider cellular PVC lumber, made from recycled plastic. For decking and other low-load uses (such as fences and railings), try composite lumber, such as Trex (www.trex.com). It's made from waste wood and recycled plastic, and it doesn't have to be painted or sealed.

Trade-offs: Because of supply-chain issues, FSC-certified lumber may be hard to find, and it will cost up to 15 percent more than a noncertified equivalent. Composite decking costs about the same as high-end redwood and cedar. Although most composite lumber is "UV stabilized" to stand up to sunlight, colors will fade a bit over time. Plus, critics wonder how this hybrid material will be recycled.

Comments: Three useful guides are www.toolbase.org, which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's PATH program (Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing), www.builditgreen.org (click on "green resources" and "fact sheets") and the GreenSpec Directory (www.buildinggreen.com; $89)

• Home decorating

Problem: Many things in your home are made with adhesives, solvents or finishes that emit volatile organic compounds, or VOCs (the big offender in adhesives is urea formaldehyde). VOCs contribute to smog outdoors and may be highly concentrated indoors, aggravating allergies and respiratory ailments.

Better choices: Most paints and stains, including some oil-based ones, already have low VOC content, per federal standards that are becoming more stringent. VOC-free paints, such as Yolo Colorhouse paints (www.yolocolorhouse.com), cost about the same as conventional manufacturers' premium paints ($39.95 per gallon).

For cabinetry and furniture, look for products constructed with solid-wood panels or engineered wood (particleboard or medium-density fiberboard) made with low- or no-VOC finishes and water-based adhesives. Woods should come from reclaimed or sustainable sources and preferably be FSC-certified.

Trade-offs: Residential furniture is just starting to go green, so your choices may be limited. Plus, the U.S. Department of Agriculture confers organic certification only on cotton and wool fibers, not fabric (standards are coming). Textiles made from natural fibers or dyed with natural pigments may be treated with toxic substances, such as heavy metals or fire retardants.

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Patricia Mertz Esswein is an associate editor at Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine. Send your questions and comments to moneypower@kiplinger.com