Zac Colbert
27th June 2012, 10:38
Thought I'd share this post with you guys, be good to get your feedback and any major points I've missed.
We all like the idea of being green, living in a home that has sustainability at its heart and kitting our abode out in eco furniture that isn't just environmentally friendly but also stylish, comfortable and affordable. It can be hard, nay, near impossible, to find a harmonious marriage of these things however, so to help we've covered a few key points to be aware of when decorating your home.
Your first port of call should be checking out where the wood came from. There's nothing greener than carbon dioxide absorbing trees and with deforestation still a huge concern certified sustainable timber is a must for eco furniture enthusiasts. Fortunately there are plenty of options if you want to purchase either reclaimed wood or timber sourced from sustainably harvested forests so look for certification when you're browsing.
Furniture made from recycled materials was once a thing of novelty but now it's a thriving green industry bursting with creativity, low carbon footprints and coolly comfortable designs. As more of society became environmentally conscious there was a growing demand for green sofas, chairs, tables etc. And this striving for carbon conscious décor results in some stunningly original pieces involving recycled plastic and metal which don't just provide eye catching aesthetics but also require less processing and fewer resources.
It's good to look for furniture that will last, the longer the better, if it's durable and fixable then it's sustainable and less likely to end up in the local dump. Also make a point of getting low-toxicity materials. Most materials have some level of toxicity and will be off-gassing, which is when they release substances into the air. Look for the Greenguard certification, this will guarantee the pieces of furniture you chose will be of low toxicity.
Go to second-hand shops, thrift stores and car boot sales. If you pick something up second-hand and local then you're winning the eco race by a country mile. Giving a good home to a table or set of chairs that have already been housed somewhere else means you've saved the world some waste. Talk to friends and family, if someone's moving out you may be able to get some items for free, saving you some money and the planet some precious carbon emissions.
It can make the interior decoration of your home a little more tricky and it does require some patience but decorating sustainably you're bound to not only end up with a more environmental habitat but some truly unique pieces of furniture.
We all like the idea of being green, living in a home that has sustainability at its heart and kitting our abode out in eco furniture that isn't just environmentally friendly but also stylish, comfortable and affordable. It can be hard, nay, near impossible, to find a harmonious marriage of these things however, so to help we've covered a few key points to be aware of when decorating your home.
Your first port of call should be checking out where the wood came from. There's nothing greener than carbon dioxide absorbing trees and with deforestation still a huge concern certified sustainable timber is a must for eco furniture enthusiasts. Fortunately there are plenty of options if you want to purchase either reclaimed wood or timber sourced from sustainably harvested forests so look for certification when you're browsing.
Furniture made from recycled materials was once a thing of novelty but now it's a thriving green industry bursting with creativity, low carbon footprints and coolly comfortable designs. As more of society became environmentally conscious there was a growing demand for green sofas, chairs, tables etc. And this striving for carbon conscious décor results in some stunningly original pieces involving recycled plastic and metal which don't just provide eye catching aesthetics but also require less processing and fewer resources.
It's good to look for furniture that will last, the longer the better, if it's durable and fixable then it's sustainable and less likely to end up in the local dump. Also make a point of getting low-toxicity materials. Most materials have some level of toxicity and will be off-gassing, which is when they release substances into the air. Look for the Greenguard certification, this will guarantee the pieces of furniture you chose will be of low toxicity.
Go to second-hand shops, thrift stores and car boot sales. If you pick something up second-hand and local then you're winning the eco race by a country mile. Giving a good home to a table or set of chairs that have already been housed somewhere else means you've saved the world some waste. Talk to friends and family, if someone's moving out you may be able to get some items for free, saving you some money and the planet some precious carbon emissions.
It can make the interior decoration of your home a little more tricky and it does require some patience but decorating sustainably you're bound to not only end up with a more environmental habitat but some truly unique pieces of furniture.