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Home > How To Library > Green Building > The Green Bedroom
The Green Bedroom
You might not think of your bedroom when you consider going green, but you can incorporate eco-friendly options, such as using energy-efficient HVAC systems, organic bedding, wall paint with no-VOC paints and more. Here are some great ideas for going green in your bedroom.
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Choose bedding and pillows made of organic cotton or bamboo and avoid polyester sheets.
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If You’re Not Renovating
Your Electricity
You hear it everywhere, but it’s an easy and cost-effective change: compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs. When Leah Ingram wanted to trim her family’s budget, which she writes about in her blog), light bulbs were the first thing to go. “While they are significantly more expensive than the incandescent time, we’ve seen our electric bill drop,” she says.
Got shutters? Use them. If you don’t, install them. They’re the easiest way to keep hot air inside in the winter and cold air inside in the summer. “We open up the window treatments so on warm sunny days we help to heat the house,” says Ingram.
Ceiling fans. They might not cool you like air conditioning will, but they help your system circulate the air, and the breeze keeps your skin temperatures cool.
Your Bed
“If your linens are made of synthetic materials, you could be sleeping with toluene [an inhalant drug], formaldehyde, PDBEs [polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or flame-retardants] and petroleum derivatives,” says Anca Novacovici, president of Eco-Coach, an environmental sustainability consulting company based in Washington, D.C. Choose bedding and pillows made of organic cotton or bamboo instead. Avoid polyester sheets, which are made with petroleum-based fibers.
“Bamboo doesn’t have as much an impact on the environment when it’s harvested,” says Linda Chipperfield, vice president of Green Seal, a nonprofit organization that writes environmental standards and gives their seals to the best of the best.
If you’re in the market for a new bed, think green, too. “Standard mattresses are made with petroleum-based foams and soaked in about one and a half pounds of toxic chemicals,” says Novacovici. Plus, if you or anyone in your family has allergies or asthma, the encasing on green mattresses help keeps dust mites from coming into contact with your skin.
If you're considering repainting your room, look for paint with low or no volatile organic compounds, also known as VOCs.
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Your Air
Clean the air inside your room by installing high-efficiency particle air (HEPA) filters. Not only will it improve indoor air quality—the EPA estimates that indoor air is two to five times as polluted as outdoor air—but it could help your heart since a recent study found that HEPA filters can improve cardiovascular health. To ensure you’re getting a top quality filter, look for those that trap 99.97 percent of particles that are .3 microns in diameter.
Your Cleaning Routine
Get rid of anything that says “danger” or “poison.” Instead, check out care2.com for easy-to-make recipes for household cleaners, most of which can be made with baking soda, white distilled vinegar and liquid soap. The site even has instructions on how to make a non-toxic cleaning kit. You can also check out eco-friendly cleaning lines; such as Seventh Generation, Mrs. Meyers and Green Works from Clorox whose products are non-toxic and biodegradable. Clean on a regular schedule. “The more consistent you are with cleaning, the less deep cleaning you’ll have to do in the long run,” says Chipperfield.
If You’re Redecorating
Your Paint
You don’t need to change your paint to go green. But if you're considering repainting your room, look for paint cans with low or no volatile organic compounds, also known as VOCs . You can also look for paints with the Green Seal stamp of approval. “You want to buy paints that have minimum toxins and minimum violates so when you’re painting, the fumes aren’t toxic,” says Chipperfield. Benjamin Moore, Dutch Boy, MAB Paints and Cloverdale are just a few name brands with the Green Seal. You can find a full list here.
Your Floors
Look for carpet that comes from recycled content. Not only are you recycling, but if you or the next owner decides to replace that carpet, it’s recyclable, too. If you’re thinking of hardwood, look for products approved by the Forest Stewardship Council, which certifies companies and products that practice responsible forest management.
Your Furniture
Remember the three Rs of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle? The same goes for furniture, so consider going consignment if you’re in the market for a new bedroom set. “At the end of the day, you’ve saved about 10 trees,” says Terri Bowersock of Terri’s Consign and Design, plus you can save 50 percent on cost. To make sure you’re buying good wood, look at the back and underside of dressers to make sure you’re buying solid wood instead of pressed wood covered in a veneer. Also, pull out the drawers to see how they’re slotted into the dresser. Wood on wood is best. Plastic wheels on thin metal slides? Pass.
Small changes can turn your bedroom into eco-friendly green. Just remember to recycle what you're not using anymore—whether you go green now or later.
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Text by Jen A. Miller
© 2008 BobVila.com
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