Loving The Environment - Loving Your Home

By Joel Clayton

I would like to believe that we are now wiser in living our lives. We are more aware and concerned about what's happening around us, one of which is the deteriorating condition of our once clean environment. We are apathetic no more but instead feel motivated to help any way we can to save what good is left of our environment. For one, there are now campaigns against the use of plastic and wood, and drives to recycle materials as much as we can. Let's take a look at how we can support environmental protection right in our own homes.

A good way to start off is to look for the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or any other appropriate environmentally safe mark on furniture you intend to buy. Buying an item with this mark means that the materials used to make this product have either been recycled or "upcycled". Upcycled refers to products made from materials that would otherwise have been discarded during the manufacturing process. Ideas here include lampshades made from recycled paper, chairs made from left-over cork or wood, containers made from rubber that were used during the manufacturing of shoes.

But we know, that is easier said than done. After all, the difference between shelves made from the finest mahogany or oak and their "Green" counterparts made from recycled plywood is rather immense. So what do you do?

Wise and proactive thinking, that's how. Products that are made of used materials means saving a couple more trees from dying. Buying eco-friendly products increase their potential and popularity. Subsequently, the demand for manufacturers to create more of these goods increase. You may only be one person, but you count. If you share this idea with your family members and friends, and they in turn pass the news to their own social circles, the demand will further increase and sooner hopefully, no more trees will be cut down to produce woods, lumber and paper. Furthermore, no more synthetic materials will be added to the humongous non-biodegradable pile hazardously stored in our planet.

Let's think for instance that you've now bought a couple of re-used furniture for your home, but some don't exactly look too good with your other stuff, most of which you bought as new before you found about the amazing contribution eco-friendly products do for our environment. How do you solve this problem?

There are decorative items called transitional rugs that can be used as a "melting pot" of all decors in such a way that these rugs match with all other items and help blend some or all other things together so the room will look coherent and fitting. This kind of rug usually has elements of the items like theme, color, pattern or design in the room. It can be used as a central point or as an added embellishment.

You can do more for the environment by purchasing transitional rugs made of wool. Getting wool from a sheep doesn't mean slaughtering the poor animal, so if you're an animal-lover, you have no reason to ban wool altogether. Think of it as the sheep getting a buzz cut and hair will grow back in no time and fortunately, the environment is not put at risk. Picking out the right rugs will blend all the pieces together, old and new, for a great interior look. - 29958

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