| Today, it's more important than ever to consider | | | | want to be green and healthy (carpeting is well known |
| eco-friendly or "green" products and materials when | | | | for harboring dust mites, pet dander, and mildew, all of |
| you improve your home. This is of course because | | | | which are hard to get out even with steam cleaning), |
| we want to do our part to keep the environment | | | | consider carpet tiles. These are typically created from |
| healthy, but it's also because most of us can't afford to | | | | recyclable materials and are very easy to install as |
| waste money on inefficient homes. Many products and | | | | well as clean. This makes them a beautiful choice as |
| materials that are eco-friendly can also help your | | | | well as a simple option for carpet across an entire |
| pocket book--think inexpensive heating and cooling bills, | | | | room. You can even get outdoor carpet tiles to spruce |
| low water bills, and affordable gas or electricity bills. | | | | up balconies or rooftop decks. |
| Fortunately, there are many options today for those | | | | 6. If you're going with carpets, know that carpet |
| who want to make eco-friendly home improvements. | | | | padding isn't always necessary. Skip the carpet |
| Here are 10 ideas to get you started: | | | | padding if possible. This is usually additional material that |
| 1. Tons of water is wasted each year in the | | | | is used when using traditional carpet and involves |
| bathrooms of homeowners, so take a look in there | | | | additional labor, materials, and chemicals and also |
| when you're doing your green remodeling. For the toilet | | | | makes it much harder to keep the carpet clean |
| consider a dual flush model. These are designs that | | | | without the use of harsh chemicals. |
| use two different flush settings depending upon what | | | | 7. In the bedroom look for organic bedding. Many |
| you need (usually a powerful mode that offers 1.6 | | | | off-the-shelf bedding products are treated with a |
| gallons and then a nice and gentle .8-gallon flush as | | | | chemical called formaldehyde, which is intended to |
| well). This can greatly help reduce water consumption | | | | make them soft, but this is a huge toxic chemical and |
| in the home over the course of a single year. | | | | very hazardous to the environment as well as your |
| 2. Paint goes a long ways in adding curb appeal to the | | | | own personal health. Look for organic bedding to avoid |
| outside of a house or cheering up drab spaces inside. | | | | the dangers to your health. |
| It's also an easy and relatively inexpensive home | | | | 8. As for the bed itself, consider eco-friendly |
| improvement that will make a huge difference. When | | | | mattresses. There are several companies that have |
| you are selecting paint, stick to only brands that use | | | | them available; most are typically made from a |
| non-VOC or non-volatile organic chemicals. Typical | | | | material called natural latex rubber, which is friendly to |
| paint has high levels of VOCs, which is neither | | | | the environment. Also these mattresses pose fewer |
| eco-friendly nor particularly healthy. You may need to | | | | problems when it's time to replace them. |
| search for brands and special lines that offer low and | | | | 9. Think solar power whenever possible. This can save |
| reduced VOC levels, but they are becoming more | | | | you a lot of money in the long run. For example, if you |
| readily available. Just ask at the paint department of | | | | are replacing your water heater, consider a solar |
| the home improvement store, and someone should be | | | | powered model. This will reduce energy usage, lower |
| educated enough to help you find an eco-friendly paint | | | | your power bill, and ensure that you always have |
| that will suit your needs. | | | | plenty of hot water on hand, even if the power is out |
| 3. Flooring is one of the first things people think of | | | | in the rest of the house. |
| when they remodel, and there are lots of ways to get | | | | 10. If you're not ready to take the big remodeling step, |
| what you want and still be eco-friendly. For those who | | | | you can make green choices just in your home |
| are looking for a natural type of material then cork | | | | furnishings. One of the best things you can do is |
| flooring is a great option to explore. It is durable, | | | | purchase used furniture. This helps to keep old furniture |
| comfortable to walk on, and also boasts the use of no | | | | out of the landfills, and it reduces the demand on |
| toxic adhesives that can harm the environment. There | | | | forests and materials to build new pieces from scratch. |
| are a wide range of colors and designs for cork floor | | | | Also, older pieces tend to be higher quality than what's |
| tiles, showing that the material is not meant just for | | | | put out today (i.e. solid hardwood instead of |
| walls and bulletin boards anymore. | | | | particleboard), so you may actually get a better piece |
| 4. Your floors may not really need to be replaced at all. | | | | of furniture just by sanding and staining an old coffee |
| Reusing and refinishing already existing materials is a | | | | table or perhaps reupholstering old chairs and sofas. |
| hallmark of the green movement, so another viable | | | | Getting used furniture is a great way to save some |
| home improvement option that you can look into is | | | | money and be eco friendly all at the same time. |
| refinishing the floors that you currently have. This is | | | | There are far more home improvements to save |
| especially plausible if you have wood floors underneath | | | | money and create an eco-friendly home than listed |
| any other type of floor in your home. While it may take | | | | here, but these should get you started. As you go |
| some work to make them shine again, it is worth the | | | | down the remodeling road, you'll find plenty of other |
| effort. | | | | ways you can create a home that is healthy to live in |
| 5. Carpets can be eco-friendly too. Sometimes it's hard | | | | and is friendly to the environment. |
| to beat the warmth and softness of carpets, but if you | | | | |