Green Products for Your Home

   Green products aren't limited to your beauty regimen or regular meals. They're made for every part of your home - floors, furniture, walls, artwork and more. There's an eco-friendly version of practically everything in your home. And I know what you're thinking, "They must be ugly or all neutrals." But I assure you, they're not.
    During my recent trip to epOxyGreen, an LA home goods store specializing in green products, I discovered that going green doesn't mean you have to sacrifice style. There are so many beautiful green products for your home, you'll feel like a kid in a candy store - a very healthy and good for you candy store.


Why Choose Green Products

    While you may be lured by the attractive styles or colors, there are other reasons to choose green products. The most important are to preserve our natural resources, to protect the health of the environment and to protect our own health. While those first two are discussed often, the last is rarely brought up and could be considered the most important reason of all.
    Many common products used in our homes contain chemicals that leak into our air, which is better known as off-gassing. Carpets and paints are two common household goods known to off-gas, according to the co-owner of Epoxygreen, Deborah Guyer Greene. By selecting green products for your home, you can limit the amount of toxic chemicals in your air.  


How to Select Green Products

    When selecting green products, there are a number of things to consider. Deborah recommends asking:

• How is the product made?
• The product should be made using a process that does not pollute or waste natural resources.
• What is used to make the product?
• It is best for the product to be made of recycled, renewable or organic materials. Avoid products that contain chemicals, and if you're unsure of what a certain chemical does, ask.
• How far does the product travel to reach me?

The closer the product is to you the better, because that means less fuel was needed to transport the product - which ultimately results in less waste.

   While meeting all of the criteria would be wonderful, most green products don't. And that's okay. There is no perfect green product, according to Deborah. The important thing to focus on is choosing the best product for your home and finding one that meets as many of the criteria as possible.
    In addition to those questions, there are a few other things to consider when purchasing certain green products.

• Flooring: When looking for flooring, check to make sure it is formaldyhide free.
• Wood: Make sure the wood is not from clear-cut forests. All wood that is harvested should be sustainable.
• Paint: Look for non-VOC paint. VOC paint off-gases; whereas, non-VOC paint does not.
• Bamboo: Young bamboo will dent. For dent-free floors, purchase mature bamboo that is around the age of 4 - 6, according to Deborah.  

    

Where to Find Green Products

    These days you can find a few green products pretty much anywhere. But to get the best ones you need to go online or head to specialty green retailers. Shopping at specialty green retailers is much nicer than shopping online because you can touch and see the products. But not everyone has a specialty green retailer nearby. So to avoid relying on small online pictures, ask the company to send you samples. That way you know the exact color and feel of the product before buying.