What do VOCs do?

According to the Environmental Protection Agency: "Eye, nose, and throat irritation; headaches, loss of coordination, nausea; damage to liver, kidney, and central nervous system. Some organics can cause cancer in animals; some are suspected or known to cause cancer in humans. Key signs or symptoms associated with exposure to VOCs include conjunctival irritation, nose and throat discomfort, headache, allergic skin reaction, dyspnea, declines in serum cholinesterase levels, nausea, emesis, epistaxis, fatigue, dizziness."

Big eek!

So I went with no-VOC paint. The verdict: the smell is not nearly as strong; my eyes aren't tearing nor does my chest feel tight or wheezy. And best of all? Instead of needing to let my apartment air out for a week I went back home after 48 hours. What a huge difference!

Where to get VOC-free paint

Home Depot has a line, Freshaire, as does Benjamin Moore called Aura. I used a low VOC paint from California Paints that I got from a neighborhood hardware store. The Wall Street journal had a nice round up of eco-friendly paints recently with a handy chart about who makes what for how much.