Environmentally Friendly Options for Your Home from Ceiling to Floor

There are many environmentally friendly options and ideas you can use in your home so that it is a more ecologically friendly place. Some of these solutions involve purchasing special products, while others focus on ways your family can reuse and recycle to avoid the need to purchase other products. Not only can these options help the environment, but they can also help you save money and become more environmentally aware as a family… in fact, it can even be fun!

Simplify Your Life
One of the most important things you can do to create an environmentally friendly home is to simplify your life. Don't purchase anything that you don't really need, and try to find ways to get by with less. You should also take a careful look at anything you are planning to purchase, making sure that the product doesn't include excessive packaging or other kinds of waste. Simply learning how to resist impulse buying can go a long way towards making your home a more environmentally friendly place.

Reducing Paper Products
Most families consume more paper products than they think they do. Not only do paper products consume trees, but the manufacturing process for paper products can be very destructive to the environment. Instead of using disposable paper products such as paper towels and napkins, use cloth alternatives, such as recycling old clothing into cleaning rags by cutting them up. Instead of purchasing note pads, use a white board or make your own note pads by cutting up paper that has only been used on one side. When you do purchase paper products, be sure to buy brands that use the highest amount of post-consumer waste and bleach-free processing methods.

Environmentally Friendly Decorating and Remodeling
When decorating or remodeling your home, remember that you really can use environmentally friendly alternatives from ceiling to floor. When selecting paint products, avoid alkyd and oil-based products, and instead choose latex products which are marked as low VOC. These products contain minimal amounts of volatile organic compounds, and are the best choice not only for the environment, but also for the health and safety of your family. Instead of purchasing new lumber for home construction projects or flooring, consider previously used lumber, engineered wood products, or other products that are environmentally friendly.

Eco-Friendly Flooring Options
There are many different options available for those who wish to have a beautiful floor while still protecting the environment. Natural materials such as bamboo and cork can produce an absolutely beautiful floor. These products are made from easily renewable sources, and can add a lot of warmth and character to the floor of your home. Other options include carpeting which has been manufactured from natural and organically grown fibers such as cotton or hemp. Carpeting can also be made from recycled materials, such as PET carpeting, which is made from recycled plastic containers. Hardwood floors made from recycled and reclaimed wood are also a great option, as are glass tiles made from recycled glass.