Here are Top 3 criticisms for an environmentally friendly home:
* It’s too expensive. * It’s a fad. * It’s UGLY!
Yeah, yeah, yeah. True for those who know nothing about eco friendly products, eco-friendly homes and great style. Designers, manufacturers and companies are going the environment-way. This then leads to better homes, products and styles.
Sustainable living is not a fad. It’s about making the right choices to help alleviate environmental problems, which are after all, directly affecting us humans. It’s about protecting our environment and its resources, and living a healthy life.
Recycling is the simplest way to help the environment. You don’t necessarily have to buy brand new eco-friendly products. The old sofa that is still sturdy only needs new upholstery and it can be used for another 5 years. The boxes that housed some items you bought in the past can be good storage while being decorative items as well with a few strokes of colors and design. Additionally, buying new stuff can be done in a thrift store, secondhand shop or Salvation Army outlet. Really, repainting, polishing and some resourcefulness can go a long way.
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 support environmental protection and safeguard our health is to check the materials of our home decors. It’s important to keep an eye on food labels and the same should be true to our things. Some carpeting for instance, are made of toxic-laden material that emits a formaldehyde vapor, which is very hazardous to our health.
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.
Speaking of change, don’t add to the waste stream by simply tossing out your old furnishings as you redecorate. Instead, contact conservation organizations such as The ReUse People, who will check your throwaways for reusable items, collect them and send them to organizations such as Habitat for Humanity. You can even get tax credit by donating in this way, which could pay for your redecorating.
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.
Be good. Be wise. Go green and see how simple things make a difference to the environment, your home and your health.
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