Plant-Based Paint

Sherwin-Williams has a new interior paint called Emerald Symmetry, introduced at a building industry trade show. The company says at least 22% of the paint's carbon content (before color is mixed in) comes from plants rather than fossil fuels, a share that varies slightly depending on the sheen you choose.

A builder who tested the new paint alongside Sherwin-Williams's existing Emerald line found it performed just as well in practice. It went on smoothly, had no noticeable odor, matched color and sheen accurately, and actually covered better than the standard latex paint in the same project. That's a meaningful data point, since plant-based paints have sometimes been seen as a tradeoff between environmental benefits and performance. This paint is also low-VOC, meaning it releases fewer of the fumes linked to that "fresh paint" smell and indoor air quality concerns.

The catch is price: Emerald Symmetry runs about $126 per gallon, a premium over conventional options. If you're planning an interior repaint and want a lower-VOC product with a smaller footprint from fossil-based ingredients, this is one option to be aware of, though the test described here covered just one project rather than a long-term comparison. For homeowners weighing paint choices mainly on indoor air quality or environmental impact, it's a new alternative worth knowing about, with the usual caveat that a higher price tag comes with it.