Navigation

Archive | HOME AND GARDEN

Why Sourcing Eco-friendly Furniture is a Must and Where to Find It

June 26, 2013 0

In a society where carbon emissions and global warming are major issues, it is becoming increasingly important for each household to do their part of ‘being green’. Whether this is recycling more, using the car less or buying locally, there are many ways to become more eco-friendly. Furnishing a home isn’t something that people associate with helping the environment; however, it can make a huge difference and it doesn’t mean that you have to forsake style in order to enjoy greener living. From sofa beds to eco-friendly kitchens, searching around for the best in eco-friendly furnishings can reap rewards.

How does eco-friendly furniture help?

There are plenty of reasons why eco-friendly furniture can help the environment, the first being the difference in the materials used. Avoid heavily varnished or painted goods, or ones that have been treated with toxic substances, as these will release gases and chemicals into the atmosphere. Choose certified sustainable products, which means that the wood or fabric has been harvested in a way that doesn’t damage the environment or increase carbon emissions during production. There are different ways of creating eco-friendly materials such as recycling or ‘up-cycling’ where an old product is made into a new one, or old woods are broken down to build new furniture. Reclaimed woods do not originate from trees chopped down just to make the furniture, but have been sourced by other means such as those that fall naturally.

Where can I buy it?

There are plenty of options when it comes to sourcing eco-friendly furniture, whether it is through online stores or brick and mortar stores in your local neighborhood. Other great sources include checking out Craigslist, eBay, and your local thrift shops. We recently did a patio makeover using pieces of furniture that we already owned, along with a great table that we found on Craigslist!) Vintage has also made a massive comeback in recent years, and the beauty of reclaimed and recycled furniture has meant that there is an ever-increasing number of possibilities. Eco-friendly furniture doesn’t have to be expensive, and even browsing free recycling websites (such as Freecycle) can reveal some gorgeous pieces, which have still got a long lease of life for the next owner.

When looking for new items of furniture, eco-friendly may not be the most obvious of solutions, but it is a way to assist in helping the environment. Whether it is bought from a specialist supplier of reclaimed wood, or a local crafts-person who has recycled an old item, eco-friendly furniture can be both affordable and stylish without damaging the future.

This guest post was provided by Tesco. 

We are Moved into our New Small Space

May 28, 2013 11

Hello, Friends! How was your Memorial Day weekend? Were you able to spend the weekend with family and friends. We spent the weekend cleaning our old home and moving into our new one. While this wasn’t a long distance move for us – it was still pretty time consuming! We are almost completely moved in – the only things left to do are hang the curtains and organize the garage. Hooray!

Initially, I was concerned with the size of our new home, it is 1/2 the size of our last home and the smallest home that we have lived in since the mister and I married. This was deliberate, we wanted to downsize and have been talking about it forever. And while saying you want to downsize is very fine and dandy, actually doing it is quite another thing. I quickly realized that not all of our furniture or belongings would fit into our new space – so it was time to do a lot of editing. It felt good to donate a large portion of items to our local shelter and it’s funny how you really don’t miss “things” as much as you think that you would. We also found several simple creative ways to maximize our space – I will be sharing these ideas soon.

The best parts of downsizing so far include; being super close to Eben’s school, the mister’s work and friends (our commute has almost completely disappeared), a small two bedroom home takes just a few minutes each morning and evening to tidy up (not to mention heat and cool – our first electric bill just came – 1/2 the price of our last home and our large front patio is quickly becoming my favorite space, watch for that makeover to come soon as well.

How was your weekend? Did you move too – I hear that Memorial Day weekend is the busiest moving weekend of the year! I would love to hear how you are doing – what adventures lay ahead for you?

Full Disclosure: This is a sponsored post written by Sweet Greens – thank you for supporting the companies that keep Sweet Greens in business, I really appreciate it! 

Save Money and Energy with Electric Radiant Floor Heating

May 24, 2013 4

Note from Sweet Greens: The following post on saving money and energy with electric radiant floor heating is a post from Nick Johnson. Nick is an author and a contributor to Heat Tech Products, an online retailer of electric floor heating mats. Thank you for supporting the companies that help to run Sweet Greens!

————————————————————————————-
Underfloor, or radiant, heating dates back to the Neolithic and Neoglacial periods, when ancient Asians and Aleutian islanders used smoke from their fires to heat trenched dug into their floors and filled with stones. The heat from the stones rose, warming the subterranean living space. Today’s radiant heating follows the same basic concept; it uses electrical coils or panels installed beneath the floor to heat the flooring itself, allowing the heat to radiate upwards into the room.

Electric in-floor radiant heating offers many benefits over traditional heating methods, for both one’s immediate environment and the larger ecosystem as well. Forced air furnaces often suffer heat loss through leaks in their duct work, essentially wasting heat and energy. Furnaces system heat cold air, releasing warm air into the room, where it rises and dissipates, leaving cold spots and causing the system to continually cycle on and off as it calls for more heat. A radiant floor system, however, only heats the floor above it, and while the warm air still rises, it does so much more slowly. The flooring itself often retains heat for hours afterward, thus requiring less energy to heat the room. If combined with the installation of a large thermal mass, such as a concrete floor, and your utility company offers time-of-use rates, the energy and money savings is even more significant. The floor is “charged” only during off-peak hours, and retains enough heat to warm the room for 8-10 hours before requiring another charge. Large furnace systems can be quite noisy as they run through their cycles; radiant floors effectively heat rooms without disturbing sound.

Another big advantage of in-floor electric heating is the reduction of allergens and pollutants. Forced air furnaces blow air through ducts and vents, picking up dust and bacteria along the way, and distributing them throughout the home. Radiant heating heats only the floor, eliminating the need for dust trapping returns and vents. Radiant floor systems also create a safer environment by reducing moisture on floors and in rooms, thereby reducing mold, dust mites, and bacteria, as well as the risk of slipping on a wet floor. Electric radiant systems are even more efficient if installed beneath masonry surfaces like tile, terrazzo, and concrete, all of which have low volatile organic compound emissions(VOCs.)

Radiant floor heat saves money-up to 40% more than radiator or forced-air systems, and is a better, safer choice for our planet as well.

photo credit

Ettitude Bamboo Sheet Set Giveaway

April 22, 2013 2

Hello, Friends! Today’s giveaway is perfect for spring – one lucky reader will win your choice of twin, full, queen or king sized bamboo sheets from Ettitude! Yay!
When it comes to making your sleep haven – the first place you should start is with your bed! Choosing a mattress and bedding that is free from toxic chemicals and pesticides is essential. Ettitude offers a great sheet set made from the rapidly renewal resource, bamboo. It’s a great choice for families and one that you will be happy that you made.

Ettitude was founded on the simple idea that all home and family essentials should not only be practical but also be unquestionably safe, Eco friendly, beautiful, and convenient.  In addition to bamboo sheet sets, Ettitude has a vast selection of , duvet covers, , pillows, mattress protectors, and towels to name a few.

My favorite features from the Ettitude : 

  • Great assortment of colors (white, sand, coffee, gray, aubergine, blue nights)
  • Equivalent to around 1000 thread count in cotton, luxuriously soft and silky! 
  • Naturally antibacterial, great for sensitive skin and allergies
  • Wicks sweat away from body, cool in the summer, warm in the winter
  • Made from bamboo, a pesticide free, sustainable, and rapidly renewable resource
  • 100% biodegradable
  • Oeko-Tex Standard 100
  • Easy care – cool wash, line dry
Good Luck and Sweet Dreams! Giveaway ends on May 14th.

Disclaimer: Sweet Greens is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment – all opinions are my own.

7 Fruits and Vegetables That are Easy for Kids to Grow in Their Garden

April 11, 2013 1

Gardening is a fantastic activity that everyone in your family will enjoy, especially your children. It is the perfect way to spend several days a week working together outside in the fresh air and sunshine. Gardening is also great for instilling a sense of responsibility, cooperative learning and excitement in your child. Not to mention, when all is said and done, you are left with a beautiful bounty of fresh, organic foods that your family grew together — and will enjoy eating together.

The key to getting your child super excited about gardening is choosing fruits and vegetables that are easy for them to grow. You want them to have a successful experience gardening, and it helps when the produce they are growing is relatively foolproof. I have planted many different types of fruits and vegetables with my son over the year and have found 7 items that are tried and true when it comes to gardening with children. Several of these plants can be grown inside (in a sunny window or patio), if you’re a city dweller. Jump over to Inhabitots to learn the 7 easiest fruits and vegetables to grow this spring with your children — and get planting!

photo credit Shutterstock via Inhabitots

Older posts Newer posts