by guest contributor Jessica Gonacha
My fiance and I are beginning the search to buy a house (yikes!), which means I finally get to think about things like eco-friendly flooring and wallpaper and things that renters only get to dream about.
In my thoughts about flooring, I came across cork. And yes, you’ve probably heard the myth that cork trees are dying out and becoming endangered, but you can put that falsity to rest by reading this article. Cork is, in fact, a sustainable resource. Trees don’t get cut down in order to obtain the cork from the bark, and it regenerates itself quickly, leaving the tree unharmed.
I have rounded up some of my favorite cork finds here– including some killer cork mosaic tiles that I would love to make a floor out of in my new dream house! (Wherever we might find it…)
1. Cork floor mosaic penny rounds from Modwalls.
2.Cork flooring from Eco Friendly Flooring.
3. Cork purse from Cork & Cotton on Etsy.
4. Cork Beehive Brooch from Etsy seller Ottoman.
5. Cork paper accordion journal from Moonlight Bindery.
6. Cork mouse pad from Etsy seller Kitjule.
7. Cork furniture by artist Daniel Michalik.
8. Cute cork earth day ring from Etsy seller Christy Robinson.
GREEN CHALLENGE: start saving your corks from wine bottles so you can create a reused cork project when you have a whole stockpile! (Maybe you could have a wine and cheese party…? A quick way to grow your stash of corks!)
Already have a large collection of corks? How about a wine cork baseboard?
Take photos of your cork projects and post them to the Indie is the New Green flickr group!
About the contributor: Jessica Gonacha is an artist from Atlanta, Georgia who is endlessly creating. Her work includes paintings, drawings, illustrations, and paper goods and is vibrant, colorful, and charming. Her work can be found on her site, in her Etsy shop and in the Indie Fixx Shop. You can also read more about Jessica and her work on her blog.
I was just perusing the flooring at Home Depot and was eyeballing the cork option. There was something about it that was totally 70’s, but amazing and I am actually debating getting some installed. Now that I know how eco-friendly it is it might just beat out my current choice of bamboo.
I love ottoman! That’s my EcoEtsy teammate! 🙂 http://www.ecoetsy.com