Green Tips for Your HomeHome design has seen a major shift in recent years. Not just a passion for designers anymore, home furnishing and design has become a weekend activity for most households. The average consumer is spending more time and money on their home furnishings than ever before and retailers have been scrambling to feed their customers’ hunger. This demand for “more, better, and cheaper” has lead to manufacturers using up our earth’s resources at a staggering rate. Also, in the name of saving a buck, many products are made using toxic materials and processes that are having devastating long-term effects on the health of our planet. We’ve all heard about the disappearance of ancient rainforests due to irresponsible logging. We’ve seen the countless product recalls due to unsafe production. Read the tips below and make a change.
• Buy a hemp shower curtain instead of a plastic one. A shower curtain made of hemp will naturally resist mildew and is machine washable.
• Avoid the use of polyvinyl chloride (also known as PVC or vinyl) in your home. The entire life cycle of products made from PVC pollutes the environment and your home.
• PVC items include shower curtains, flooring, even some children’s toys.
• Use castor or mineral oils to lubricate switches and hinges instead of lubricants containing solvents.
• Choose water based latex paints over solvent based paints when painting your home. Never use lead based paints.
• If you have a furnace, fireplace or gas heater, have them serviced regularly to prevent deadly fumes and install a carbon monoxide detector.
• Ensure you have good ventilation and balanced humidity in your home to prevent the growth of mould and mildew, which can be harmful to your health.
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