Going Green on Home Furniture

The campaign for living an eco-friendly lifestyle has never been so intense compared to how it was in the previous years. One definite reason for this is because we can now obviously see the earth's deterioration and feel its impact on our lives. Where else could there be the best place to start green living but right in our own homes.

For the exterior of the house there are eco-friendly construction or building materials that can alternatively used to create an eco-friendly home. As for the interior, there are of course some green alternative such as eco-friendly home furniture and decorations. Going green for furniture could be done in three possible means. First is to buy used home pieces. Second is to create your own pieces and choose organic and green materials. Third is to buy brand new sets which are guaranteed to be made from eco-friendly materials.

Whichever of the three is chosen, there are some guidelines to keep in mind so as to ensure that that the furniture will really be a contribution for a greener earth. Thrift stores are generally selling low cost items for the home, some are pre-used home furniture and furnishings. Other places where second hand home furniture may be bought are garage sales and antique shops.

Most furniture for the home is made of wood. However, look for a kind of wood that is quick to grow compared to other trees like mango or bamboo or other kinds of woods which comes with certification from the Forest Stewardship Council or FSC. This FSC is a nonprofit group that promotes preservation of all forests worldwide and sets healthy wood standard for use in the industry. Recycling is always a good alternative when it comes to greener living at home or in any other areas. When it comes to home furniture, there are times when a new furniture is not at all needed. Sometimes all the furniture needs is repainting and refurbishing and it will again look like new.

Choose a paint or varnish that is non-toxic, add a few pieces of new and highlighting hardware like knobs. Upholstering is also another means to make the furniture look brand new. Use seat covers that are made or organic cloth and fiber instead of leather. Vintage cloths would be nice to cast a classic interior home style. Leather seem like a good option when it comes to durability for it will definitely last long. However, various elements in the environment are affected with the processing of leather. Leather comes from animals pastured and allowed to graze in cleared forests. The raw material needs to be processed in factories thereby consuming energy and fuel. So leather is not a good option for eco-friendly home furniture.

Buying local produces is also a helpful way in living a green lifestyle. There are stores nearby that produces, creates and makes their own furniture pieces out of locally grown materials like bamboo. Buying local product also lessens the cost and the need for shipping fees and fuel costs.

Reference:W_Tsang