Caring about the environment is great. There are many things all Toronto residents can do to help reduce their carbon footprint and protect their environment. Some of these could entail reducing energy consumption, but it can also include the type of materials used in construction or other products they choose for their home.
When you’re talking about interior shutters, you’re going to be met with some important decisions to make. The most significant has to do with whether you want natural wood interior shutters or vinyl.
Vinyl tends to be cheaper and some people believe they are more durable, though with better quality wood shutters, they are not. As for the environmental argument, vinyl is a synthetic material that requires various chemicals in its manufacture.
Wood doesn’t require any chemicals to create. Yes, it does require lumber and certain hardwoods, but many of today’s lumber yards or companies that harvest wood replant at least one new tree for every tree they cut down. It’s a sustainable industry that can help you rest more comfortably knowing your impact on the environment is negligible.
However, if you decide to go with vinyl shutters, you need to fully understand what goes into the manufacturer of these shutters. Not only is the process more intensive with regard to fuel, chemicals, and energy, vinyl does not break down or decay like wood does, and that can be important in the event of those shutters are disposed of at some point in the future. Do you really want your old, warped, ugly looking vinyl shutters taking up space in a landfill for thousands of years?
For those Toronto area homeowners who care about their environment, wood shutters are the best option. Not only will they look great, they can also provide more insulation when they’re closed, thus saving you heating expenses and reducing your carbon footprint even more.
