If you are actively involved with sustainability and being green, you may shop for organic foods or drive an electric or hybrid car. However, sustainability can also extend to your home furnishings. The five tips below can help you decorate and furnish your home with beauty while helping keep things green.
CHOOSE ORGANIC MATERIALS AND FIBERS
Materials like bamboo, hemp, and linen serve double duty in home furnishings. Not only do they look beautiful, they are often more durable than materials manufactured from non-organic materials. While you may spend more upfront, you’ll save money down the line because your furnishings will last longer.
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SELECT HANDMADE ITEMS
Handmade items add a homey touch to your surroundings. Like furnishings from organic materials, handmade items often cost more initially than mass-produced items. However, handmade items often incorporate excellent craftsmanship, which translates into a longer useful life. As a bonus, handmade items are often sustainably sourced, with the benefits going to artisans in developing countries.
CHOOSE LOW-VOC PAINTS
Sick Building Syndrome refers to symptoms such as fatigue or headaches that are linked to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other airborne toxins. If you’re repainting walls or furnishings, choose paints that are low in VOCs to minimize the effects of airborne toxins.
SHOP THRIFT STORES AND GARAGE SALES
While there are some furnishings that you will naturally want to purchase new (such as mattresses), shopping thrift stores is a great way to score unique items (and valuable antiques) at bargain prices. You’ll also be reducing your carbon footprint.
ADD LIVING PLANTS
One of the benefits of spending time outdoors is breathing in fresh air, courtesy of trees, plants, and other greenery. Bring the outdoors into your home with living plants. They add color and a sense of life to your home, as well as improving air quality by exchanging your exhaled carbon dioxide with oxygen.