Why Going Green At Home Is Less Troublesome Than You Think
Here are Top 3 criticisms for an environmentally friendly home:
* It’s too expensive. * It’s a fad. * It’s UGLY!
Fortunately, architects, designers and decorators have been listening to these complaints and they’ve come up with some improvements. However, the first improvement that needs to take place is your own attitude toward sustainable living.
Using eco-friendly products help the environment by not putting the resources to waste and reducing their usage as much as possible. This is not only for a healthy environment but for healthy living as well while living in a beautiful home at the same time.
Not all eco-friendly products are expensive. Similar with regular items, there are pricey things and affordable ones. If you’re one to worry about expenses, then don’t buy. Reuse! Recycle! You can always shop in secondhand stores or shop online on auction sites. Recycle things that you know you can still make use of. A simple repainting work, varnishing or polishing can do wonders for your home furnishings.
Say for instance you need a new dining room table. Rather than simply buying one from a furniture store, consider other options, such as a purchase from a secondhand store that can be reconditioned, or even building your own using a table base kit and recycled lumber from a junkyard.
Another way to ensure your home decor is eco-friendly is to check the materials that make up any furnishing, flooring or accessory. For instance, did you know that some kinds of new carpet emit formaldehyde vapors? Or that certain kinds of dyes can actually be toxic to humans? If we can read nutrition labels to determine what’s in our food, certainly we can find out what’s in the materials we use to decorate our homes.
On the other hand, if you’re fond of an existing part of your home decor that’s made from natural materials – such as a wool area rug — you don’t have to replace it. However, if you’re striving to ”green” your decor, consider some of the new area rugs offered by several manufacturers. These stylish rugs are made from recycled materials and colored with non-toxic dyes. Being modular, they give plenty of flexibility in arranging your ”green” decor.
As you go about redecorating and finding some things you no longer need, don’t just throw them away. Segregate and apply proper waste disposal. Better yet, sort them and donate them to charities and organizations like The Reuse People who will check your stuff and take care of disposing them the proper way. For those things in good condition, earn extra bucks by selling them to thrift stores or on online auction sites.
Finally, if you do purchase some new items for your ”green” decor, don’t have to fret that you’re not really being green. Underwriters Laboratories – yes, the folks who set the standards for light bulbs, toasters, coffee makers, etc. — has just launched a new UL Environmental. Its purpose is to work with manufacturers to validate, test and certify environmentally sustainable projects and to help consumers make sense of products’ ”green” claims.
See? It’s easier and less expensive than you thought to be ”green” in home decor. The beauty part is up to you and your imagination!
Keep up with current Natural Home Design styles and enhance your home with bamboo rugs.