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Eco-Friendly Trends for 2009
2009 marks the year that thousands of Americans have finally decided to go green. With eco-concerns at an all time high, people are always looking for ways that they can help the environment. Luckily for them, eco-friendly home improvement items are more readily available than ever before. Here are a couple simple ways that you can insure your home improvements are eco-friendly this year.
To begin, you should start with something small. Switch the light bulbs in your home from standard incandescent bulbs to compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, if every US home replaced just one light bulb, we could save enough energy to light over 3 million homes a year. That would be a savings of almost $600 million a year in energy costs! Switching to eco-friendly lighting also cuts down on the amount of greenhouse gasses that are released into the air, which is good for the ozone. Switching to CFL lighting is easy too. CFL bulbs fit into almost any existing light fixture, so you won’t even have to buy any new lamps.
If you’re in the market for new living room or
bedroom furniture, you would be wise to shop around before you buy. There are many more factors to consider, aside from the price of a piece. Ask about the brand itself and how their manufacturing process effects the environment. Furniture companies like Vaughan-Bassett have a program that they call “One for One”. For every tree they use for furniture, they plant a new one in its place. By buying furniture from an eco-friendly company, you can feel good about your purchase.
When it comes to improving your home, why not do your part to improve the environment at the same time? Now-a-days it’s easy, as well as stylish, to create an eco-friendly home. All you need is a little knowledge and a desire to make this world a better place. |
