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"  Whether standing, sitting, or walking from room to room, we are in constant contact with our floors. They affect the look, feel, and function of our home and, as we have started to realize in recent years, our health and planet. Studies by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have shown that indoor pollutant levels can be two- to five-times higher than those outside. And the culprit for many of these pollutants is coming from the finishes, glues, and materials comprising our floors. But we haven&amp;#039;t surrendered to the toxic standard and environmental problems posed by the conventional options; instead we&amp;#039;ve sought out the greener alternatives! Flooring manufacturers are stepping it up, and eco options are filling the marketplace. Now the question to tackle is: what to look and ask for when shopping.  This guide covers the concerns for the major types of conventional flooring, the benefits of their green varieties and how to find the sustainable option that&amp;#039;s right for you. Carpet  Nearly 70 percent of all flooring used in United States is carpet. Warm, soft, long-lasting, and low-maintenance, it&amp;#039;s easy to fall in love with this option, but there are a few factors to consider. The Worrisome Standard  Conventional carpet is synthetic and made from petroleum-based fibers like nylon, polypropylene or polyester. These fibers off-gas (emit) VOCs (volatile organic compounds) that can cause a variety of health problems, short- and long-term. More importantly, it can take years for these VOCs to dissipate.  The Green Alternative Look for carpet made with natural fibers like sisal, sea grass, jute, coir and wool. &amp;quot;Wool carpet is soft and durable, has natural insulating properties and an inbuilt resistance to soiling,&amp;quot; notes Judith Wilson, author of The Natural Home. There&amp;#039;s also biodegradable carpet that will eventually disintegrate, helping to lower landfills and deliver the ultimate Mother Earth pay back by returning nutrients to the soil.  Resilient Flooring  Known to be easy on the joints and the wallet, resilient flooring is a great option for high-traffic households. Linoleum, rubber, and cork fall into the resilient category, but the most popular and the most toxic is vinyl.  The Worrisome Standard Vinyl flooring is made with synthetic materials like polyvinyl chloride (PVC) that give off toxic chemicals that are associated with increases in respiratory sensitization and asthma. When burned, whether in landfills or by factories disposing of overruns, PVC emits some 100 different toxic compounds according to Greenpeace, an international environmental watchdog group. The Green Alternative Shop for resilient flooring made with eco-friendly ingredients, binders and glues. Linoleum is made with natural ingredients like linseed oil, wood flour, cork powder and organic pigments. Floors made of cork, a sustainable product, also provide a soft surface.  Wood Everyone loves natural wood floors for their classic appeal. New wood may be standard but there are plenty of green and chic alternatives on the market.   The Worrisome Standard &amp;quot;Over the years, large-scale clear-cutting of natural forests has a negative environmental impact that extends beyond the loss of trees that take hundreds of years to grow to maturity. It also includes the loss of wildlife habitat, soil erosion and siltation of rivers and lakes,&amp;quot; notes Dan Harrington, director of product development at Eco Timber Flooring. The Green Alternative There are a few options to get the benefits of wood. Reclaimed wood flooring that&amp;#039;s been rescued from old barns, train trestles and antique wood vats will add a bit of history to your home. New wood flooring should be sawn from timber grown in FSC-certified forests. Or consider laminate made with post-consumer recycled products or wood veneers which lower the number of trees used.  Tile  Tile tends to be durable and easy to care for, and in the scale of environmental no-nos, even the traditional option is fairly green. The Worrisome Standard The good news is that ceramic and porcelain tile are not made from toxic chemicals and won&amp;#039;t give off fumes. The one thing to note is that the conventional tile typically uses raw minerals, which must be mined\u2014and production waste goes to landfills, according to Mother Earth News. The Green Alternative Recycled metal and glass are finding their way into tile these days which helps lower landfills and create decorative and textural products never before possible.  Greener Support Products  To improve indoor air quality, what goes under flooring is important, too. Carpet Pads Look for more than cushion in carpet pads. There are wool-based carpet pads that are free from dyes and adhesives. Subfloor Systems There are easy-to-install subfloor systems that add a second layer of resiliency while creating an effective barrier between carpet and moisture or mold that can seep up through concrete slabs. Click here for some the best green options on the market  For more flooring guides, inspiration, and our chic decor picks, visit PointClickHome.com/Flooring. 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<http://www.elledecor.com/home-remodeling-renovating/a3910/green-flooring-guide-a-56160/>