The term eco-friendly literally means not harmful to the environment. It refers to the products which contribute to green living and conservation of natural resources. Green living is not hard to achieve as one might think. You can gradually include it in your house by making small and simple changes. Start with the place where people usually spend most of their time: the bedroom.
An eco-friendly bedroom is a good first step towards improving the planet’s health as well as your own. Let’s see how you can achieve that.
How To Make An Eco-Friendly Bedroom
Before we get into the details of the ways to make your bedroom environment-friendly, let us establish why eco-friendliness and sustainable living is important.
Our planet is facing a pressing challenge in the form of global warming, which is caused due to higher, and ever-increasing, levels of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere. Moreover, the disparity between the rate of usage of natural resources and the rate at which they’re replenished is huge. These are two major reasons why we need to pay more attention to sustainable living.
To transform our world, for the better, the United Nations (UN) has included promoting good health and ensuring responsible consumption on its list of Sustainable Development Goals among 15 other goals. This shows how sustainable living has become a priority on a global level. To that end, different world organizations are adopting newer ways to conserve natural resources.
On an individual level, more and more households can play their part by gradually shifting towards green living.
Following are the key benefits of using sustainable products in your bedroom:
- Energy efficiency
- Waste reduction
- Health
- Low carbon footprint
A few ways in which you can make your bedroom more sustainable are as follows:
- Decluttering and recycling
- Furniture
- Paint and flooring
- Bedding Accessories
- Electrical appliances
Now let’s discuss each in detail.
Decluttering And Recycling
We have items in our houses which have no more use for us, such as old clothes. Separating such items with the ones that are usable can be a tedious job but it will not only leave you with more space but also help reduce waste.
While you are decluttering, you will come across many items that can be reused or recycled. For instance, if you have some old blankets, bedsheets and clothes in fair condition, you can donate them to charity organizations which are always in need of such essentials. You can also work on DIY projects with clothes or towels that have worn out.
As far as stacks of old newspapers and papers are concerned, you can give them away for recycling. The idea here is that not all items are to be disposed of; some can be reused by you or someone else in one way or another.
Furniture
Bedroom furniture is not limited to just bed sets. There can be other items such as a dressing table, a coffee table, a settee and a bedroom sofa. These items are usually made of wood because this material is sturdy and lasts long. However, if you want to go green, then you might want to reconsider using wood.
Eco-friendly furniture is supposed to have little to no adverse effects on the environment, from its manufacturing to its delivery.
The element of sustainability in furniture designing comes from the type of raw material used for its production. Using a material which grows fast is ideal for making furniture. Bamboo, for example, is a better choice than wood as it grows faster and is available in abundance. Other materials that can be recycled to make furniture are floorboards, wood cladding and straw. In addition, manufacturers should only use environment-friendly chemicals as adhesives and make sure they’re incorporating greener methods of transportation of goods.
Paint And Flooring
Talking about paint, always use paint with low volatile organic compound (VOC) or near VOC paints. These compounds have a low boiling point and easily mix up in the air which can be harmful. You can also use wallpaper instead of painting your entire room which will give style and texture to your room.
There are multiple flooring options available in the market, however, the best way to practise sustainability in flooring is to keep the one you have, unless it has deteriorated and needs replacement. If you are getting a new floor, getting bamboo or cork flooring are more sustainable options among less sustainable and expensive floors.
If you prefer using rugs or carpets in your bedroom, opt for all-natural carpets made from natural and renewable fibres such as seagrass, coir, cotton and jute.
Bedding Accessories
When it comes to creating an eco-friendly bedroom, one shouldn’t ignore bedding. Using organic mattresses, pillows and bedsheets is also one way you can make your bedroom more environment-friendly.
Sheets and blankets made up of organic cotton and wool are expensive but do not affect your wellbeing. Moreover, these bedroom accessories are softer and warmer, so they’re also good for your skin and can help you sleep soundly.
Electrical Appliances
Last but not least, you need to carefully choose your electrical appliances, which are often the primary reason for increased energy consumption in a house.
Inside a bedroom, various types of electrical equipment are used, such as fans, lights, table lamps, etc. For your bedroom, you need energy-efficient options such that less energy is consumed and the earth’s upper atmosphere is, therefore, less affected. Instead of using fluorescent lamps, one of the options is to use LED bulbs. Another way to allow natural light to enter your room in order to reduce the need to turn on lamps.
You can also make use of nature to reduce usage of certain appliances. For example, instead of using air purifiers, keep plants in your home that can not only enhance the air quality but also eliminate any pollutants from the air.
In addition, limit the use of air conditioners that leave a larger carbon footprint. Using high-quality curtains and shades that can block light from penetrating in the summer and keep the room temperature lower. In winters, the penetration of sunlight in the room not only maintains a moderate temperature in the room but also kills harmful bacteria in it.
Implementing ways to sustain a healthy environment in your home is important. It’s a gradual process but you have to start somewhere.
We hope this is beneficial for you and you implement it in your bedroom. For more home décor and lifestyle topics, stay tuned to Zameen Blog.
