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.
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