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Definition of Vinyl

Vinyl

This durable plastic can be found just about anywhere: in your shower curtain, raincoat, or baby's toys. It's used for a range of construction materials, including siding, flooring, and pipes, as well as for products such as textiles and medical supplies-it's convenient, easy to work with, and cheap. Unfortunately, PVC is also a danger to human health and the environment. It releases dioxin, a highly potent carcinogen, during production and disposal; and phthalates used to treat PVC to make it flexible can leach out and have toxic health effects. Many companies have ceased using PVC in their products, and more and more consumers are discarding vinyl in favor of safer alternatives such as rubber, linoleum, wood, and glass, to name a few. Also called polyvinyl chloride (PVC). For more on plastics, click here.
 

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Acid rain
This environmental buzzword may take you back a few years, and it's true it gets less press today,... more
 
Acrylic
A fleece blanket, an artist's paint, an airplane windshield. What these things might have in common... more
 
Aggregate
As a kid, you might have known aggregate as the worst part of getting a skinned knee. This... more
 
Antimony
This brittle, silvery white heavy metal occurs naturally in the Earth's crust. Antimony is mixed... more
 
Asbestos
There is little debate about the dangers of this silicate mineral fiber, once commonly used in... more
 

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Quiz of the Day
    Q: On average, how far does fresh produce travel before it reaches the supermarket?

Green Tip of the Day
   Turn Down the Dial on Your Water Heater

Check out your water heater's temperature setting and try lowering it to 120°F. Water...

 >>Continue

Word of the Day
   E-waste

This term doesn't refer to all the spam filling your email box, though those messages do waste plenty of time. E-waste is actually the millions of tons of electronic products, computers, cell phones, and the like that enter the waste stream worldwide each year. As newer, better, cooler gadgets come on the market, the piles of e-waste grow ever higher. Aside from their contribution to landfills, many electronic devices contain hazardous materials, such as mercury; many also contain valuable, reusable materials that can be recycled. There are some simple ways to limit e-waste: Buy quality products that can be upgraded instead of replaced; donate old equipment (to a school for instance); and seek out recycling programs when you're ready to dispose of an item. Also called electronic waste.
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How to Guides
   How to Encourage Your Office to Be More Environmentally Friendly

It is easy to throw caution to the wind when the office is paying for supplies, business travel...

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