What Makes a Product Eco-Friendly?

• Made of environmentally friendly materials - The materials used to make the product contain recycled materials or what is known as ‘rapid renewables’, such as bamboo or cork. (Rapid renewables is another term for ‘sustainable materials’.) Recycled materials can be any material that had a previous use and is re-used in a new way rather than disposed of. This includes salvaged , post-consumer or post-industrial materials. Materials that have gone through very little processing, such as natural granite, stone, slate, and some wood are considered green because they have consumed very little energy during manufacture. Products that are hand-made rather than produced in a factory also typically use very little energy.
• Free from harmful chemicals and compounds. Products that reduce or eliminate the use of toxic chemicals such as chlorine, wood preservatives such as creosote (which is a carcinogen) and PVC which depletes the ozone are considered ‘green’. This also applies to organic food which is free of pesticides, antibiotics and other unnatural additions.
• Does not deplete the environment during production and transportation - Operational costs for a manufacturing facility can have a negative impact on the environment. This includes high usage of heating and cooling systems, water, and electricity. Factories that reduce their dependence upon natural resources, actively recycle, and take other action to reduce their impact upon the environment are eco-friendly. Products that are minimally packaged, preferably with recycled materials, also fit this criterion. Facilities that use manpower rather than machines to package and distribute their products are also acting in an eco-friendly way..
• Comes from a manufacturer where working conditions are humane and healthy, and workers are paid a living wage - – Although this is a criterion that affects humans and not the earth, it is often considered a basis upon which a product may be deemed ‘green’. This is known as ‘fair trade’.
• Has multiple purposes, a long shelf life, and is made of environmentally friendly materials - Products that are durable and reusable for various purposes, such as canvas totes that can transport groceries home or act as a handbag, are eco-friendly. They help people reduce the amount of goods purchased (and thereby produced) as well as the amount of trash they contribute to landfills. Products that are very durable (such as vinyl siding) do not need to be replaced as often.
• Products that reduce the environmental impact of the building they’re used in and create a healthy environment in that building - composting systems, efficiently burning fireplaces, products that are powered by solar energy or use very little electricity and products that filter pollutants from the air are eco-friendly.

Benefits of the Eco-Friendly Home

Maintaining an eco-friendly home has many benefits for your family's health and financial well-being as well as the environment. Buying 'green' products can have a great impact on your life, and make you feel good about your contribution to the preservation of our planet. Here are just a few of the ways that making your home more environmentally friendly can help:

• Your family and pets are not breathing in harmful and even toxic chemicals that silently seep from many types of construction materials, insulation, furniture, carpeting, paints, solvents, household cleaners and even bedding.
• The air in your home is clean and free of pollutants.
• Using energy-efficient appliances and other products will decrease your electric bill, allowing you to put that money toward savings or other things that are important to you and your family.
• Energy-saving products reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced by your household. Greenhouse gases are responsible for the onset of global warning, which scientists have recently predicted will get worse over the next generation.
• The less waste your household produces, the fewer landfills will pop up around the world.
• Eco-friendly products are made to last longer, saving you money in the long run.
• Eco-friendly products protect precious natural resources by using sustainable materials only. That means more of the earth's forests remain intact and undisturbed.

The Eco-Friendly Garden

An eco-friendly garden can be created when the gardener ensures that these three priorities are followed: maintaining a positive impact on the surrounding ecosystem, including wildlife; using sustainable materials whenever possible, and reducing the presence of harmful chemicals through the use of organic products. Creating an eco-friendly garden in your backyard - or making your current garden 'greener' - is a relatively easy process - just start using one of the following methods at a time and you'll have an eco-friendly garden soon enough:

• Water conservation - Ensure that your garden makes the most efficient use of water as is possible. Don't just set up a sprinkler and let it run - there are much more environmentally friendly ways to go about making sure your plants get enough water. Check out this guide from the National Resources Conservation Service to get more info on how you can conserve water in your backyard.
• Use of organic fertilizers and pesticides - Every day, toxic chemicals enter the water supply from the use of harmful pesticides and fertilizers on nearby land. Organic versions of these products not only create healthier plants, they ensure that you aren't adding to this troubling problem.
• Use of native plants rather than shipping in plants from other regions. Native plants preserve the delicate ecological balance that exists in every locale, and don’t use up nearly as much precious resources such as gas and electricity during transport.
• Using environmentally friendly building materials for fences, patios, etc. that do not use endangered resources or come from an ecologically sensitive part of the world.
• Use of sustainable materials, such as coir rather than peat (which is very slow to regenerate). Sustainable materials are materials that are easy and economical to quickly replace, which ensures that the supply is constantly maintained.
• Use gardening tools made of recycled materials.
• Use solar-powered garden lights and fountains like the ones shown in the image above. Solar power not only saves you money, it reduces your dependency on traditional energy sources. Plus, solar powered fountains and garden lights can be placed anywhere you like in your backyard. To read more about the benefits of solar garden lights, click here.

Harvesting Wood for 'Green' Furniture

Using environmentally friendly furniture in your home has many benefits. Perhaps the single most important benefit of supporting the 'green' furniture industry is assisting furniture makers in their quest to harvest wood in an environmentally responsible way. You might be surprised at how much effort goes into ensuring that the process of harvesting wood for their products has the smallest effect possible on the surrounding environment and its people. Here are a few ways that 'green' furniture manufacturers work hard to help make the world a better place:

• Using sustainable materials preserves the world’s most beautiful places. Sustainable materials maintain the supply chain, keeping products in production without depleting the natural materials. It ensures that the area where wood is harvested won't be wiped clean of its natural resources.
• Reduction of damage to forests during harvest, including over-erosion, road construction, and other mechanical disturbances as well as protecting water resources. 'Green' furniture makers work hard to ensure that the impact their harvesting has on the land around the harvest site is as small as possible.
• Avoidance of over-consumption and over-harvesting. Precious natural resources aren't wasted or over-used.
• Recognizing and respecting the rights of people indigenous to the areas where wood is harvested. The harvesting of natural resources for most of the products produced today can cause a great deal of harm to people who live in the harvest area, while 'green' furniture manufacturers do all that they can to avoid doing so.
• Protection of endangered species and their habitats.
• Environmentally appropriate disposal of fuel, oil, construction byproducts and other non-organic wastes.

Feng Shui and the Eco-Friendly Home

Feng Shui and green living go hand-in-hand. The positive benefits of maintaining an eco-friendly home fall in line with many of the benefits believed to be found in places where Feng Shui is practiced. For example, one of the goals of Feng Shui is to help people live in harmony with the environment and encourage a closer connection with nature. Feng Shui places a great emphasis on maintaining or enhancing the surrounding ecosystem, to lessen the impact of human beings on our environment.

According to the principles of Feng Shui, causing harm to the environment will bring bad fortune. Practicers of Feng Shui know how important it is to use organic, sustainable materials, especially in the garden. Finally, implementing the practices of Feng Shui into your home promote a healthy flow of fresh air and sunlight throughout the home. Feng Shui can be a wonderful way to supplement your eco-friendly lifestyle, helping you relax, beautify your home and feel good about your contributions to the preservation of our planet.

Natural vs. Organic: What Does it all Mean?

You’ve probably noticed that lately, the words ‘organic’ and ‘natural’ have been popping up all over the place. They’re on food labels at the grocery store, personal care products, home furnishings, household cleaning products and even pet food. Both words have a positive connotation – when used on consumer goods, they’re meant to give you a feeling of health, well being and eco-friendliness. But are they interchangeable? What exactly do ‘natural’ and ‘organic’ mean?

Natural Products

The word ‘natural’ seen on any consumer product can mean a lot of different things. The use of the term ‘natural’ is only regulated in the United States by the USDA for meat and poultry, so manufacturers of other items can get away with saying that just about anything is natural. When a product is labeled ‘natural’ or ‘made with natural ingredients/materials’, you could still be getting a product that is harmful to your health, made using environmentally unsound practices or made with non eco-friendly ingredients/materials.

For a product to really be natural, it shouldn’t contain any synthetic fragrances, artificial colors or ingredients from petrochemicals. The FDA’s definition of natural products is “ingredients extracted directly from plants or animals as opposed to being produced synthetically”. Natural products that are truly good for you, your home and the environment are defined as the following by the Natural Ingredient Resource Center:

• Natural ingredients include plant, animal, mineral or microbial ingredients present in or produced by nature. They are produced using minimal physical processing, and are directly extracted using simple methods, simple chemical reactions or resulting from naturally occurring biological processes.
• Natural ingredients are grown, harvested, raised and processed in an ecological manner, not produced synthetically, free of all petrochemicals, not extracted or processed using petrochemicals, not extracted or processed using anything other than natural ingredients as solvents, not exposed to irradiation, not genetically engineered & do not contain GMOs (genetically modified organisms).
• Natural ingredients do not contain synthetic ingredients, do not contain artificial ingredients including colors or flavoring, and do not contain synthetic chemical preservatives.

The bottom line for ‘natural’ products is read the label carefully. Truly natural products are superior to conventional products, so they are a good choice for the informed consumer.

Organic Products

Organic products are defined as products that are produced using methods and materials that have a low impact on the environment. Organically grown plants are produced in such a way that soil fertility is replenished and maintained, no toxic or chemical fertilizers or pesticides are used, and a biologically diverse agriculture is built. Organic materials have been minimally processed to maintain the integrity of the material without artificial additives, preservatives, irradiation, synthetic hormones, antibiotics or genetic engineering.

Non-food organic products include items such as clothing, bedding, carpeting, window coverings, and personal care products. Organic textiles are made from organically grown fibers such as cotton, soy, corn, and bamboo. Organic personal care products are made using food-grade organic ingredients. These organic materials are grown in farms that meet all U.S. Department of Agriculture regulations for organic farming, according to the Organic Trade Association (OTA). Voluntary global standards set by the OTA call for goods labeled as organic to contain 95 percent organic fibers as well as restricting the type of dyes, finishes, and other materials used to create the finished products. The OTA is also working on developing a logo for organic textiles that meet their standards.

When purchasing items for your home and your body, keep these explanations in mind and consider that making an informed decision to purchase a natural or organic product over a conventional product is healthier for you and the environment. You’re helping to prevent pollution of soil, water and wildlife through chemicals used in conventional agriculture. Organic bedding and clothing is also especially beneficial for people with sensitive skin and allergies.

You can become more informed about organic products at the Organic Consumers Association website.

Specialty Living is dedicated to providing you with truthful, transparent product information so you can make educated purchasing decisions. We strive to work with manufacturers to not only use organic and natural materials in the production of their goods, but also refrain from using harmful additives, processes and other non eco-friendly methods and materials. We will continue to source vendors who are devoted to healthy, green practices.

VOCs: The Hidden Dangers of Conventional Home Furnishings

The air in your home may not be as clean and healthy as you think. Right now, dozens of household items could be releasing dangerous gases called volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air, putting your family’s health at risk. Levels of VOCs are up to ten times higher indoors than outdoors, and they’re emitted by a wide array of products.

Volatile organic compounds are found in many household products such as paints, varnishes, cleaning solvents, hobby products, pesticides, building materials, furnishings, office equipment, correction fluids, carbonless copy paper, air fresheners, stored fuels, aerosol sprays, wood preservatives, automotive products, moth repellent and dry-cleaned clothing.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), some health effects that can be suffered after exposure to VOCs include:

Eye, nose, and throat irritation; headaches, loss of coordination, nausea; damage to liver, kidney, and central nervous system. Some organics can cause cancer in animals; some are suspected or known to cause cancer in humans. Key signs or symptoms associated with exposure to VOCs include conjunctival irritation, nose and throat discomfort, headache, allergic skin reaction, dyspnea, declines in serum cholinesterase levels, nausea, emesis, epistaxis, fatigue, dizziness.

The extent and nature of the symptoms suffered depends on a variety of factors, like level of exposure and how long you’ve been exposed. Some VOCs are more dangerous than others. Lowering your family’s exposure to volatile organic compounds is an important step to take to avoid potential long-term health problems.

The first step you can take toward lowering the VOC levels in your home is to replace suspect household items with items containing low levels of VOCs. Low VOC products have a greatly reduced level of volatile organic compounds, making them safer for your family, including your pets. Specialty Living has a special product icon for Low VOC products, so you can start choosing healthier home furnishings, cleaning products, and other household items.

In addition to purchasing low VOC products, you can:

• When using products that contain VOCs, increase ventilation in the building.
• Read labels carefully and meet or exceed all precautions.
• Don’t store high VOC items for extended periods of time. Only buy as much as you need, and throw out any extra. Gases can leak even from closed containers.
• Avoid purchasing pressed wood products, which release formaldehyde into your home. Choose solid wood furnishings instead.
• Avoid products containing methylene chloride and benzene. When you must use them, keep exposure to a minimum.
• Switch dry cleaning companies if your clothing is returned with a strong chemical odor. Dry cleaned clothing often contains perchloroethylene, which has been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals.

For more detailed information on these warnings, see the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ‘An Introduction to Air Quality’ guide.

The Green Baby Nursery Guide

Give Your Baby a Healthy, Eco-Friendly Start

When your new baby arrives, you want everything to be perfect, from the crib to the curtains. Most of your baby’s time will likely be spent in the nursery, so every item in the room should be safe and healthy. Unfortunately, many baby products on the market are exactly the opposite of that. Harmful gases called volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are released into the air by conventional bedding, furniture, paints, carpeting and other nursery components. Babies’ organs aren’t able to process these environmental toxins as well as those of adults.

In addition to VOCs, your baby could be exposed to allergens, chemicals, dust mites, and other pollutants that could be absorbed into her tiny body. You can create a hypoallergenic, low VOC, eco friendly baby nursery with just a little more effort. Low VOC paints, solid wood furniture, organic bedding and hardwood floors are just a few ways you can pamper your baby naturally.

Paint

Choose natural, low VOC or zero VOC paints instead of traditional paints. Natural paints are made of raw ingredients like water, plant resins, natural minerals, milk casein, bee’s wax and essential oils. They can be purchased through interior designers or online. Low VOC and zero VOC paints use water as a carrier rather than petroleum-based solvents and are distributed by paint manufacturers such as Benjamin Moore, Sherwin Williams, Cloverdale and Miller Paint Co.

Zero VOC paints contain volatile organic compounds in the range of 5 grams per liter or less. Low VOC paints must contain no more than 200 grams per liter to meet EPA standards, but most reputable brands contain 50 grams per liter.

Bedding

Cotton is the second most pesticide-laden crop in the world after coffee. Conventionally grown cotton represents only 2.4 % of all cultivated land, but actually consumes 25% of the world’s pesticide production and 10% of its herbicide production. Chlorine bleach, a skin and respiratory irritant, is used to whiten cotton fabrics, and formaldehyde, a carcinogen, is applied to finish the garments. For just one item of conventionally-grown cotton clothing, over 1/3 of a pound of chemicals are used.

Organic cotton is grown without pesticides and processed without the use of harmful chemicals. Organic cotton fields are naturally fertilized and pest-consuming insects are used instead of chemical pesticides. Weeds are removed with tractors, hoes, or by hand. Organic cotton is gentle on baby’s skin, letting in oxygen to maintain a natural moisture balance. It lasts longer and is often softer and thicker than conventional cotton.

Another good choice for your baby’s bedding is organic wool. Sheep raised for wool on organic farms are given special care to make them resistant to parasites, keeping the wool free of allergens. It’s very durable, soft and warm.

Furniture

How many times have you seen a baby standing up in his crib after a nap, chewing on the crib bars? When you consider that conventional nursery furniture is made from wood treated with formaldehyde and other chemicals and finished with varnishes that contain a high level of VOCs, suddenly the baby’s room doesn’t seem so safe.

Sustainable, low-toxicity furniture is the best choice for your baby’s room. Solid wood, wicker or rattan furniture with low VOC finish is available in a wide range of styles and colors to suit any nursery decor. If you don’t have the dough to spend on eco friendly nursery furniture, buy traditional furniture second hand – all the harmful chemicals have most likely already been released into the air, plus you’re saving it from the dump.

Flooring

Wall-to-wall carpeting contains a myriad of pollutants, mold, dust, chemical stain repellants, flame retardants and high VOC adhesives. The best flooring solution for your new baby’s room is sustainably harvested hardwood with a non-toxic sealer, and low VOC area rugs. If you’re already pregnant and the nursery has a carpeted floor, don’t tear it out - it’s best to just keep the carpet as clean as possible using a HEPA-filter vacuum.

Toys

Let your baby gnaw away at good old fashioned wooden toys and organic cloth stuffed animals. Try to keep the toys as natural as possible, and once the baby gets older, choose second hand toys. Babies don’t need dozens of toys to keep them occupied, and your home will look better without all that plastic junk in primary colors.

Cleaning

Use only non-toxic cleaning products in the nursery and anywhere else your baby will spend a lot of her time. Use hypoallergenic, unscented, biodegradable laundry detergent to wash all of your baby’s clothing and bedding before she arrives.

Throw a Green Wedding

Your wedding is the ideal opportunity to showcase your dedication to a better world. Set an example for your guests and show them what being ‘green’ is really about by making responsible choices for all aspects of your upcoming wedding. These eco friendly wedding tips will help you determine how to spend your money wisely, as well as save some. Choose a few or do them all – any step you take is a step closer to a healthier planet.

Have your wedding invitations printed on recycled paper. Another option is plantable seed paper, which can also be used for place cards, programs and menus. Embellish them with twigs, leaves, raffia, wooden beads and other organic materials.

Use local vendors for your decorations, flowers, catering, wedding cake and other aspects of the ceremony and reception. Purchasing decorations in your own town rather than having a large number of small packages delivered to you from around the world saves a lot of natural resources. Choose natural decorations made from renewable resources whenever possible.

Choose organic or locally grown flowers that are in-season. Many of the flowers sold in flower shops and grocery stores have been imported from other countries by low-paid workers, and are covered in pesticides. Brides who are dead-set on flowers that are out of season (like demanding tulips in October) aren’t only making a huge dent in their budget; they’re contributing to global environmental problems. Those flowers have to be shipped from halfway around the world and packaged in specially cooled containers. Instead, get your flowers at a local farmer’s market or go with a local florist who uses locally grown flowers only. Better yet, buy potted organic herbs or flowers that do double duty as centerpieces and favors and purchase cut flowers only for bouquets (major money saver!).

Hire a local caterer who specializes in organic meals, or at least uses fresh, locally grown ingredients. You can showcase your region’s culinary specialties in the menu, and choose locally made organic wine and beer. Having an eco-friendly wedding reception menu doesn’t necessarily have to mean it’s all vegetarian, but try to go with free-range meats and organic dairy if possible. Have the food served on fully biodegradable tableware made from renewable resources such as sugarcane fiber, corn and potatoes.

Wear a gently used wedding dress, or go with natural fabrics if you must have a new one. Wedding dresses use quite a lot of time, energy and fabric to be worn only once! Buying vintage is chic and budget-savvy. You can find gorgeous dresses in consignment shops, E-bay, or through Brides Against Breast Cancer, a charity that donates proceeds to women with breast cancer. You can also support vendors who use sustainably grown fibers by going with organic silk, hemp, bamboo or cotton fabric in your own dress as well as the bridesmaids’ dresses, groom and groomsmen apparel. Make sure your vendor isn’t using sweatshop labor to produce your wedding garments by checking them out at SweatshopWatch.org.

Give your guests green wedding favors. Choose items made by local artisans, not tacky knick-knacks made in China. You could also give each guest a tree to plant – the National Arbor Day Foundation will deliver trees in recyclable plastic tubes with customized labels. Even better, choose a charitable cause that’s close to your heart and donate a small sum in each guests’ name.

Offset the environmental impact of your guests’ travel by purchasing carbon offsets. That means giving money to an organization that counters the effect of your guests’ pollution-creating travel by planting trees. You can also transport guests to the ceremony and reception in vans or buses to cut down on vehicle pollution. Check out Carbonfund.org, Terrapass.com and NativeEnergy.com.

Keep your ceremony’s impact on outdoor surroundings low by choosing a setting that’s already used to foot traffic, like a national park or botanical garden. As pretty as it may be, setting up dozens of chairs in pristine wilderness isn’t ‘green’.

Have your wedding planner or a family member drop your flowers off at a local hospital after the reception. Rather than tossing them or letting them wilt in your house while you’re on your honeymoon, let others enjoy them. They could brighten the day of someone dealing with a difficult injury or illness.

Eco Friendly Travel: Reduce, Reuse & Recycle on the Road

When you travel, don’t take a vacation from being environmentally responsible. It’s easy to continue doing your part to reduce waste of resources and energy while on the road and it can even help you get to know your destination a little better. Take a few eco-friendly measures before you leave home, be conscious while traveling and feel like a local by shopping and eating at independent establishments. Here’s how to reduce, reuse & recycle on the road without sacrificing comfort and convenience.

Choose a destination that’s close to home, if possible. Sticking within 100 to 150 miles of your home is a very ‘green’ travel choice – you’ll save untold resources and get to know your region up close and personal, and save a lot of money along the way.

Stay at a hotel that’s close to the places you plan on visiting while at your destination such as convention centers or attractions. Since accommodations in popular tourist areas tend to be expensive, if budget is an issue, try to carpool or take public transportation to and from more distant lodging rather than renting a car to get around.

Travel by train or bus rather than air or car if feasible. Trains and buses use far less resources and allow you to enjoy scenic views without dealing with the hassle of airport security and traffic. Train travel can lend an old fashioned romantic air to your trip.

Book e-tickets for air and train travel rather than using unnecessary and outdated paper tickets. E-tickets are efficient and simple to use – in most cases you need only provide identification upon arrival to receive your boarding pass.

Unplug electronics like your television, computer, and stereo before you leave. Even when they’re not on, electronics and appliances that are plugged in continue to draw electricity. This simple step does double duty as a precautionary measure against electrical fires, keeping your home safer while you’re gone.

Reuse your towels and sheets at the hotel for a few days. Having fresh linens every day is an unnecessary luxury that causes thousands of gallons of water to be wasted by each hotel. Many hotels are now placing cards in each room asking guests to conserve water by using their towels and bed linens longer before having them replaced. If your hotel doesn’t have one of these cards, tell the front desk or leave a note letting them know you’d like to reuse them.

Hold on to recyclables rather than tossing them in the trash when you can’t find any recycling bins. You can rinse them out and toss them in your bag or car and bring them home with you, or ask your hotel if they have recycling bins available.

Lower the thermostat and turn off the lights when you leave your hotel room every day. Just like at home, there’s no reason to leave them on when no one is there to use them.

Don’t use the small toiletries provided by hotels – bring your own. Most people just throw the bottles away after using up the contents, which is incredibly wasteful. If you must use them, reuse or recycle the bottles afterward.

Eat at local restaurants. Skip the familiar chains and check out the region’s specialties, which are more often than not made with local ingredients. You may find a new favorite, and you’ll get to experience the real, every day culture of the area. Supporting small businesses is an easy and rewarding way to be ‘green’.

Buy local artisan-made souvenirs rather than tacky imported trinkets. Many souvenirs sold at tourist shops – especially street vendors – are made thousands and thousands of miles away. That’s no representative of what the area’s really about. Support local artists and craftsmen and get something meaningful to remember the city by.

Eco Friendly Entertaining Guide

The typical party is responsible for a huge amount of waste in the form of disposable cups, tableware, paper napkins and electricity to name just a handful of culprits. Why not be eco-chic instead? Throw a fabulous soiree that impresses your guests in more ways than one with our eco-friendly entertaining tips. These simple ways to throw a greener party include some great budget-friendly ideas that will add color and character to any gathering.

Cater your party with locally grown and produced ingredients. Go organic whenever possible, especially with fresh fruits and vegetables. Give your guests a taste of your city with regionally brewed and produced beer and wine.

Create a colorful, interesting table with mismatched second hand tableware. Thrift stores, yard sales and discount shops are great sources for unique pieces that will give you a fun, eclectic look. Re-using these items not only saves them from the dump and stretches your everyday tableware to accommodate more people; it’s a great alternative to using disposables. If you’re stuck on matching pieces you can rent glass, ceramic and porcelain tableware from a local rental company.

Go with fabric napkins, tablecloths and other kitchen and dining linens. They look far more sophisticated than paper, and along with steering clear of disposable tableware, they’ll help you avoid throwing out a giant bag of trash at the end of the night.

Re-use common household items creatively to create visual interest throughout your home. Turn old mason jars and jelly jars into lanterns – clean them out, remove the labels and place candles inside. Try to start looking at things differently before you toss them – try to imagine what they’d look like hanging on the wall, filled with flowers or as part of a centerp