9 Ways to Bring Your Home into the Era of Green

If you haven't heard of green design, then you have been lost in the dark ages. Commercial and government sectors have already embraced the earth friendly and health conscious design and now home owners can reap the benefits.

1. Sherwin Williams, and many other paint suppliers, now offer low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) or even the ultimate, no-VOC paints that do not emit dangerous chemicals into the air your family breathes at home.

2. We love bamboo. It is a stunning material, extremely hard and durable, and regenerates in 3-6 months as opposed to the 10-30 years that most trees need. Bamboo is now used in flooring planks, home décor items, kitchen cabinets, furniture, kitchen cutting boards, and even your ultra soft fluffy towels. And it need not be boring, these authentic bamboo area rugs from www.houseofarearugs.com are far from dull.

3. If you must have wood flooring or furniture, insists that the wood com from either reclaimed sources (used before you) or forests that are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council for sustainable and ecological practices.

4. The Irish designer, Clodagh, recently introduced an attractive line of environmentally conscious bedding and accessories, Clodagh for Homestead. Duvets and shams are made from 100% organic cotton and sold in non-toxic PEVA (poly ethyl vinyl acetate) packaging that is also completely recyclable. Duvet covers start at $150.

5. Save your self some major cash by investing in appliances that are energy-efficient and marked with the EnergyStarT rating. Not only will you be cutting down your electrical bill, you will be reducing the amount of energy to your home that all too often comes from dirty coal plants.

6. Speaking of energy providers, choose one that uses natural energy such as the Green Mountain Energy Co.

7. Install a simple recycling center in your kitchen. Many cabinet manufactures are coming up with bins that slide out of your under counter cabinets. Check with your city about local recycling programs first, though. For example, the city of Dallas, Texas only requires that you separate recycled goods from the normal trash; it's not necessary to break it down to glass, plastic, aluminum.

8. Reuse trumps recycled ten times over. Take a look at objects before you toss them. Could you refinish that old sofa table instead of buying another one? Stack old suitcases by your bed as a side table?

9. Bored of Aunt Myrtle's old sofa? Try refurbishing the relic by adding a sheet of wheat board underneath the cushions to add stability and reduce sagging along with foam sheets for added comfort. Top off with a new slip cover and you have a brand new, earth friendly sofa – sort of. Just think of all the trash you just saved from the overflowing American landfills.

For those of you who don't know, wheat board is like MDF board, but made from discarded wheat stalks and bound with natural resins.

Buyers beware, many products that are jumping on the "natural" bandwagon have been found to be grown or cleaned with toxic chemicals and pesticides. The government is in the process of developing new labeling requirements, but take time to do your own due diligence first and purchase from trusted suppliers.

You can find more information on green design at www.usgbc.org, www.asid.org, or www.iida.org.