Eco Friendly Interiors For Your Home in 6 Easy Steps
Much has been written about eco-homes and making your home environmentally friendly, but mostly from the architectural perspective. Unfortunately little has been said about the relationship between interior design and sustainability.
According to the World Commission on Environment and Development, green or sustainable development is ‘development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’.
In some respects interior design is an emblem of consumer culture and at its worst is a contributor to the throw-away society found in many developed societies in the late 20th century. But 2008 was the year that people generally started to consider the impact of their carbon footprint on the environment.
So how can we as consumers of interior design square the circle?
1) Think of the whole life-cycle
When you purchase furniture, soft furnishings, flooring and so on for your home think carefully about:
* Where it comes from (wood from sustainable forests or plastic from fossil fuels?).
* Where it will go when you are finished with it (can it be refurbished & re-used or recycled rather than dumped in land-fill)
* Can you have existing furniture recovered in new stylish fabric instead of buying new?
* Can you purchase decorative items explicitly made from recycled glass or metal?
* Furnish your home with antique furniture (the stylish name for re-using/recycling).
2) Think of pollution
Over the last 50 years paint has change considerably in its concoction, with the elimination of poisonous lead and recent reduction in volatile organic compounds (VOCs). When you choose paint pick those which are water based with natural pigments as these virtually eliminate potentially harmful solvents from the manufacturing process and from the internal atmosphere in your home.
3) What about energy?
The energy consumption of a building is often ‘frozen’ in by the architect and the builder, but a few things at the interior design level can help minimise energy waste and the consequent utility bills.
* Use low energy lamps and lighting; this can save up to 80% of power Reduce the temperature in the home by a couple of degrees.
* Use interlined curtains to reduce heat loss from draughty older single glazed windows.
* Opt for carpeting and high quality underlay to reduce heat loss from floors using draughty floor boards in older properties.
4) Can colour help?
If you design room schemes based upon light colours and use reflective surfaces then the room will generally need less artificial lighting. Similarly if you design window dressings to make the most of available sunshine particularly in winter in temperate climates.
5) Use natural materials
If you use rugs and carpets made from wool you are clearly using a sustainable product and you avoid the outgassing of vapours from synthetic fibres into the air in the home. Another chemical worth avoiding is formaldehyde, used in many man made materials such as medium density fibre board (MDF).
The key materials to concentrate on using are wood, plant fibres, (wool, cotton, jute, seagrass straw, rattan, paper, sisal, and coir (derived from coconuts) and linen), metal, glass and stone. If possible avoid plastics and cement both of which require high energy inputs in production and transportation. Also where possible opt for organic cotton. Fortunately natural fibres are widely employed in curtain and furnishing fabric and in floors and rugs.
6) Consider the source
From where did the raw materials originate? If you can buy items for your home made locally then you will reduce the environmental impact of transportation. For example in the UK consider using local slate or granite rather than imported marble or travertine.
For timber a good tip is to check that the wood and its sources are accredited by the the Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC).
Also steer clear of anything that could threaten the environment or endangered animals (e.g. items made of coral, tortoiseshell, ivory)
Finally
These are just some of the pointers to consider when remodelling or renewing the interiors of your home. Though the impact on the environment of domestic interiors may be dwarfed by other factors (such as carbon dioxide emissions by motorists and electric power generation) it is still important to move towards a much more sustainable future.
Furniture Industry Set To Go Green
For years, the threat of global warming has been predicted by scientist to become increase. Unfortunately, there were only a few who heeded the call for more eco-friendly products. Today though, the awareness regarding climate change has increased. This increase in awareness has paved the way for different industries to produce green technologies and products.
The furniture industry is also taking strides in joining the ranks of industries battling global warming. Heading this initiative is furniture importer Palecek. The company pointed out that retailers can support the sustainable furniture movement without sacrificing profits. Allan Palecek expressed his message to retailers at the Sustainable Furniture Council meeting in Atlanta recently.
Held at the Atlanta International Gift and Home Furnishings Market, the meeting is centered on informing retailers on what they can do to balance support for sustainability and profits. Palecek pronounced that there is a way to keep a balance between the two. He said that it is possible especially with consumers also becoming aware of the threat of climate change. Palecek also went on to say that this awareness is more apparent on younger generation of buyers.
“The job for you is to understand and to help educate the consumer,” said Palecek during the conference. The consumer needs to be aware of what is going on…There is an opportunity for younger people to get behind this.”
During his speech at the said event Palecek related that his company started out with manufacturing bamboo baskets way back in the 70s. And as part of the company’s dedication towards a sustainable future, they started offering products made from sustainable materials such as sea grass, wicker, rattan, and abaca. With the diversity in materials used for their products, the company was able to stay true to their commitment of protecting the environment.
“I brought this kind of material to the marketplace and people responded to it,” said Palecek. “Recycling and using sustainable products go hand in hand. It makes all the sense in the world,” he added.
Although Palecek said that there are ways through which furniture manufacturers can balance sustainability and profit, he said that there is still room for improvement. He pointed out that in packaging of items, plastics are still being used. Foams are also potentially dangerous to the environment and are also used in packaging furniture and other related goods such as crane mirrors.
“There is an unbelievable amount of energy wasted for packaging – it’s billions of dollars,” said Palecek. “Some of it is recycled, but for the most part, it is wasted product,” he added.
During the SFC meeting, setting a standard can help retailers tell their consumers which products are manufactured without harming the environment. This shows that the industry is working hard to make the world a better place for future generations.
