If you are anything like most Americans, chances are your day doesn’t start until you’ve had your first cup of coffee. And you’ll have a couple more cups throughout the day. And maybe a cup of tea or two as well. That’s a lot of coffee grounds and tea leaves you shouldn’t be throwing away. But did you know you could have been reusing them in your home and garden all this time? Neither did we! (Keep reading.)
Now that your house is all eco-friendly, it is time to work on the new addition. The baby nursery can be beautiful and green (not the paint color, unless you want it to be). Here are some simple steps to help you make the perfect baby nursery eco-friendly.
No Diapers: I know you are maybe saying, “What am I going to use then?” The solution: Cloth diapers. They are more work, but cost less and they are not harming the world buy having a mini-vacation in landfills. They are less pollutant than a diaper. You can also look for companies that make biodegradable diapers.
Fresh Air: Purchase an air purifier. Make sure your princess or prince gets the room with the best view. The natural fresh air and sunlight are perfect. The air purifier will help eliminate mold spores, dust mites, and any excess moisture.
Safe Walls For All: Remember this slogan – VOC-free is better for me. Using paint that is VOC-free (volatile organic compounds) is environment friendly. You can even use mineral pigment paints. If you have to scrap away old paint please be aware that it might be lead paint especially if your house is very old. Just be careful to not chip it but lightly use sandpaper when removing it. You can also look for eco-friendly wallpaper options.
Furniture: When it comes to adding furniture into the nursery, keep this word in mind: RE-USE. Instead of spending more money on baby furniture, spend your time looking for items you already have. You can re-use an old bookshelf for baby toys, and books. Use an old dresser as a changing table. Of course put a comfy pad on the surface. Even ask family members for old baby stuff that they are willing to part with. You can even look up online for sites where you can find used baby furniture, toys, clothes, strollers, etc. Zwaggle.com is a great site.
Know Your Wood: If you do end up purchasing a new crib or rocking chair then make sure you know which wood is best for the baby. Stay away from plywood and fiberboard. The glue in them release chemical fumes after time. Purchase real wood with water based finishes. Also make sure the wood is sustainable. Look for FSC-certified wood labels. The crib might cost more but you can easily make it an eco-friendly heirloom for future generations.
Perfect Floor: One word- Bamboo. It is a renewable resource. Plus it gives the nursery an elegant look.
Green Windows: Stay away from blinds, and shutters. Use organic cotton window treatments.
Crib Décor: When it comes to a baby’s mattress I recommend Naturepedic. All of their mattresses are made of non-toxic materials. They are great for your baby who will spend most of their early years in bed sleeping. All the crib linens should be made of organic cotton, wool, or linen. You can even make a quilt out of used baby clothes. That is if you sew. If not then have someone make you one.
Minimal Is The Key: Keep the décor of the room minimalistic. A few stuff toys, and books here and there will be sufficient enough. As time passes the baby will get more stuff.
Hopefully these tips help you make your baby nursery eco-friendly and safe for your new addition.
A great way to help save the environment is to buy eco-friendly furniture. If you are not crazy about purchasing recycled, refurbished or reused furniture, try and reuse the already existing accent tables, lamps or rugs you might have. You can give your existing lamps a new life by switching out the lamp shade and giving them a new paint job. Here is some information on eco-friendly furniture.
Recycled. When we mention recycled furniture we don’t just mean your neighbors old couch (although that’s great as well!) We’re talking about a piece of furniture that has been re-built from other pieces of sturdy furniture. For instance a wood frame from a couch made from wood parts of other couches and door frames, etc. Since most of the wood is recycled from other pieces of furniture it often has an antiquated look to it, a perfect fit for some homes and decors.
Refurbished. Instead of going out and buying brand new furniture, a good idea is to have your old furniture refurbished. Refurbishing helps save you time and money as well as having a new eco-friendly piece of furniture.
Reused. Reused furniture is furniture that has at least one previous owner. By having previously used furniture it helps reduce your cost and cuts down the demand for new furniture. You can find some really good deals on reused furniture. Check out your local thrift stores, antique shops, check craigslist or Freecycle.com before heading to the store to buy a new couch.
If you are in the market for brand new furniture try to look for some of these features and attributes:
Materials. Look for furniture that has been built out of bamboo, hemp and even wood. The wood we’re talking about is correctly harvested wood. Bamboo is one of the best options because it grows back very quickly and is a very strong material and will last for years to come.
Quality. When looking for eco-friendly furniture be sure to look for quality as well as the important attributes such as, budget friendly and fashionable. You might find that perfect bamboo framed couch, but the quality of workmanship is terrible. If you purchase a well-made couch chances are you won’t have to purchase a new one a couple years down the road because of wear and tear (if you get tired of the couch refurbish it!)