You don't have to build a straw-bale house from scratch to show Mother Earth you care. Turning your home into a haven of environmentally conscious design is doable if you take a gradual approach. Here are 10 small ways to make your home –- and the planet -– a more beautiful place to live.
1 Colour your world "green"
Freshen up your walls with eco-friendly paint. The volatile organic compounds (VOCs) found in conventional paints are bad for your health and contribute to global warming, so opt for low-VOC or VOC-free lines instead. Other options: milk and biodegradable paints, which are nontoxic, and recycled paints, which reduce landfill waste.
2 Go au naturel
If privacy isn't an issue, leave your windows unadorned. The airy look lets in light, which can warm a cold room, and also means you have one less item to dispose of when a drapery style becomes passé. If direct sun makes the room too hot or you're feeling shy about naked panes, select window treatments that are made of natural textured materials, like linen, bamboo or seagrass.
3 Say no to PVC
Instead of buying a vinyl shower curtain, choose a cloth one. The polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in most plastic varieties emits carcinogens (bad for your health) and is non-biodegradable (bad for the earth). If you're about to embark on a bathroom reno, consider designing a shower area with a glass door or partition, so you don't need a curtain at all.
4 Watch what you toss
Take eco-friendly waste disposal beyond the recycling bin and compost heap: keep your renovation garbage and old furniture out of landfill. First, consider reusing items: Do you need new cabinets or just doors? How about reupholstering that chair instead of discarding it? If you can't use an item, donate it to a charity or used-building-materials supplier like Habitat for Humanity's ReStores. For unwanted refuse, it's surprising what's recyclable these days: most metals and plastics, yes, but did you know asphalt shingles, concrete and sometimes even drywall can find new life? Contact your local sanitation department to find out more.
5 Grow your decor
Not only does a little greenery make a room look more homey and lived-in, but plants also filter out harmful airborne chemicals. Add palms, ferns or potted gerbera daisies, which all have high ratings for their ability to remove chemical vapours, throughout your home and you'll find you'll breathe easier.
Image courtesy of Pottery Barn
Twitter
Facebook
Youtube
RSS
3 Comments
Does anyone know of an interior decorator in the essex county that uses eco-friendly
RECLAIM, RESTYLE, REDECORATE! Try using a piece of furniture that you do not think you wanted or needed anymore for another purpose or in another room. Why not paint grandma's old dresser and use it as a buffet in your dining space. An old sewing machine would make a nice entry table or put your child size chair beside your tub to hold a glass of wine. Take out the silver you never use and use the tray for your dish soap by the sink and add fresh flowers into your silver teapot. The opportunities to reuse and to keep usable items out of the landfill is endless! Have fun!
RECLAIM, RESTYLE, REDECORATE! Try using a piece of furniture that you do not think you wanted or needed anymore for another purpose or in another room. Why not paint grandma's old dresser and use it as a buffet in your dining space. An old sewing machine would make a nice entry table or put your child size chair beside your tub to hold a glass of wine. Take out the silver you never use and use the tray for your dish soap by the sink and add fresh flowers into your silver teapot. The opportunities to reuse and to keep usable items out of the landfill is endless! Have fun!