b'Many small steps, taken together, can make a difference.Continued from page 17by Trina KleistJustin Gilliam applies non-VOC paint to a residence in Grass Valley.Photo by Trina Kleist Non-VOC paints reduceclimate-warming gasesT he paint you choose for your business or home can help solve the climate crisis. Thats because most paints contain volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, which gas off and contribute to the warming of our atmosphere.You can smell VOCs when you paint a room or get into a new car. They are solvents used in thousands of things such as plastics, cleaning solutions, scented candles and body lotion. VOCs make paints easier to apply and give them better resistance to sunlight and the effects of freezing and thawing, according to the manufacturer Sherwin-Williams. But companies have been working on alternatives for two decades, and theyve developed durable paints with low or nearly-zeroPartnersVOCs to safeguard both theJason Gilliam, environment and peoplesleft, and Shane health (indoors, the off- Manley operate gassing of VOCs can causeJason Gilliam a range of allergic reactionsPainting/New from mild to severe). Look Painting.In 2000, federal law required paint manufacturers to lower the VOCs in their products. Now, they have zero-VOCs as well, says Nevada County painter Jason Gilliam. He and partner Shane Manley operate Jason Gilliam Painting/New Look Painting, and theyre enthusiastic about their industry moving toward environmentally sustainable products.We are getting more and more people asking us about non-VOC paints, Manley said. Those can be used for smaller business structures and residences, but many industrial applications do require the low-VOC products, Gilliam adds. Theyre using low-VOC paints at the remodeled McKnight Crossing shopping center in southern Grass Valley.Were here to help you get through any type of painting in this more-sustainable direction, Gilliam says.JASON GILLIAM PAINTING/NEW LOOK PAINTING JASON GILLIAM & SHANE MANLEY(530) 210-9655 (530) 559-7255Nevada County Business Focus 19'