Increasing Eco-Friendly Consumer Behavior Raises Demand For Eco-Friendly Flooring Options

PRLog (Press Release) - Jan 09, 2010 -
When it came time for Robert & Mary Lizunno to replace the floors in their home in Phoenix, they struggled with the options. "It had to be beautiful," the Lizunnos say, "but we also wanted to make sure we were conserving nature."

In the end, they chose Express Flooring’s Tigerwood, an amber-striped hardwood from Bolivia. The 3-inch tongue- and-groove planks came from trees that had been grown without chemical pesticides or fertilizers and were selectively cut down one at a time, rather than clear-cut in one fell swoop. "The decision to buy eco-friendly wood was the socially responsible thing to do," the Lizunnos say.

Robert & Mary are part of a growing group of consumers identified by the latest Greendex Survey that National Geographic and Globescan, an international polling firm, releases every year. They are driving the market for "sustainable" products—those made from trees raised and harvested for commercial use with minimal damage to the environment.

Unlike homeowners of a few decades ago, who had fewer options when it came to saving trees, today's environmentally conscious remodelers don't have to sacrifice the look, feel, and durability of wood underfoot.

In fact, sustainable flooring comes in all the popular species: white and red oak, cherry, maple, red birch, hickory, even exotics like teak, rosewood, and cumaru. What is important to consumers is that it does not cost a fortune. Four-inch wide, medium-grade American cherry that has been certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)—an international nonprofit organization promoting responsible forest management — costs as low as $2 to $5 per square foot, the same as standard cherry.

Express Flooring (http://www.expressflooring.com/), a retailer in the Phoenix, Tucson & Denver markets, has seen its sales of certified wood double in the last three years. "Environmental concerns are starting to have a very real effect on the wood marketplace, and it's about time," says Greg Gilmartin, Express Flooring’s director of product sales and marketing.

About Express Flooring

With over 100 years of combined flooring experience Express Flooring is one of the fastest growing flooring companies in the nation, with local focus on Phoenix, Tucson and Denver, and all surrounding cities. For more than 20 years, they have worked on all types of flooring, including carpet, tile, laminate, wood, stone, vinyl and much more.

Contact:

Greg Gilmartin
Express Flooring, LLC
4110 West Washington Street
Phoenix, AZ 85009-4623
(602) 864-3300
(800) 700-9126
info@expressflooring.com
www.expressflooring.com
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