You may be looking for ways to become more environmentally friendly, and it’s often lifestyle changes that you’ll make first. But, your home is a reflection of you, and if you want to become as kind as you can to the environment, it’s worth considering this when you’re thinking of your home interior.
Ensuring you action sustainable practices when you decorate your home can impact positively on your carbon footprint and keep unnecessary pollution at bay. Surprisingly, an eco-friendly interior can also improve your health and wellbeing.
NASA were actually the people we have to thank for the discovery of common indoor plants that remove organic chemicals from indoor air pollution.
As well as cleaning the air around you, they also look great, and it gives you the chance to bring the outdoors in!
Plants that will purify your surroundings
Devil’s Ivy: This plant is typically easy to grow indoors, and it will help with the toxins in your indoor air. Devil’s ivy helps clear xylene, benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene from the air.
Pineapple plant: Surprisingly NASA also revealed that a pineapple plant could improve sleep quality and help decrease snoring. This specific plant doesn’t remove toxins from the air, but it does produce oxygen, which is how it helps with sleep quality. They don’t require too much maintenance, but they don’t like the cold! Plus, how cool would it be to own a pineapple tree?
Snake plant: Snake plants are a wise option for those wanting a low maintenance plant. So low maintenance that they actually thrive on neglect. They need sunlight for just a couple of hours a day. Make sure you don’t overwater them, and they’ll remove formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, benzene and xylene toxins from your air.
Invest in long-lasting furniture
Solid wood furniture, like walnut, teak, oak or maple are perfect options for durable furnishings that will stand the test of time in your home. What’s good to know here is, ensure you buy solid furniture that has traditional building and joinery, such as tongue-and-groove-joints.
Furnishings that are joint together with glue may cost you less, but not only are the chemicals harmful, but it’s also extremely likely they won’t last as long as those joint by traditional methods. Traditional methods of joinery are the reason antiques are around still and also the reason why more modern glued furniture is so quickly disposed of.
Choose paint that doesn’t damage your health
Not a lot of people are aware that standard paints contain chemicals such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and it can be harmful to your body as well as the environment. Avoid standard paint and opt for VOC-free paint that doesn’t release toxic fumes into your home. There are many brands out there that offer paint that is friendly to the environment as well as you.
Let natural light in
The right lighting can make a massive difference to your space. Jade at Art Windows & Doors suggests to let natural sunlight into your rooms by freeing windows of heavy curtains or blinds. Ensure that your windows are completely insulated so that no heat escapes and no unwanted cold enters.
To insulate you can upgrade your windows to double or triple glazing or you can use methods such as caulking and weather-stripping. These methods will help reduce the amount of air that leaks from your home, meaning you can keep the warm air in.
Use natural materials
Purchasing pillows, upholstery and bedding from wool-stuffed materials reduces the production of synthetic materials that ultimately are left to deteriorate in landfills.
Wool is a fantastic material as it’s hypoallergenic, biodegradable, recyclable, odour resistant, dust mite resistant, moisture absorbent and anti-bacterial. It’s also the most fire-resistant textile fibre which is great, but hopefully, you’ll never need to see it in play. Other than wool, natural latex is made from the collected sap of rubber trees, and it’s also fire resistant as well as non-VOC emittent.
Your carpets and rugs should be created from natural fibres rather than the VOC-filled synthetics, and wall finishings should be in wood, ceramic or cork for sustainability. These materials can be slightly more expensive, but it’s beneficial for you and the environment.
Some of these changes are, of course, bigger than others, and you may not be able to change your whole home in one go unless you are renovating. Making these changes as and when you can really make a big difference.
Images: Unsplash
