Gulf of Mexico oil spill and Kevin Costner’s centrifuge solution

Actor Kevin Costner may have the answer to the BP oil spill and Gulf Coast resident’s petrochemical woes – a centrifuge made by his company that separates oil from water at the rate of 200 gallons per minute… with 97% effectiveness. And now it’s been confirmed that BP has agreed to purchase and begin using the machines. What does this have to do with green flooring? Well, given that many flooring products contain petroleum derivatives and all use energy to produce and for transport, it makes sense to include this story here.

If you’re not familiar with how a centrifuge works, you may not be aware that you probably own one – the washing machine in your laundry room. By spinning your clothes at high speeds, it forces the wet clothes against the perforated walls of the tub. Then, since the perforations are too small for the clothes to exit, only water gets through. It’s basic, but it can help you understand. For more information on Costner’s amazing, hopefully gulf-saving device, click here.

Many of the flooring products I recommend use less energy in production or are not made from petroleum derivatives. The environmental disaster in the gulf is one reason it’s better to “drill, baby, drill” into the facts about green flooring.

All the best,

Chris

Chris is Residential Group Manager for CCA; a US Green Building Council LEED Accredited Professional & Judge for Floor Covering Weekly's GreenStep Awards