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If you have any care for the world we live in – and you really should – then you know the importance of going eco-friendly when it comes to managing your home. Not only will you save yourself a ton of money, but you will also do your bit in protecting the environment. When it comes to furnishing your home, there are a number of options open to you when trying to go green. Consider the following as examples, and follow this good practice for all of our sakes.

1. Consider sustainable materials

Every year, thousands of rainforests and woodlands are pillaged to provide the furniture you are using at home. These include furnishings made from oak, mahogany, and birch. Be kinder to the environment by source furniture that uses sustainable materials, examples of which can be found at Alexander and James Sofas. Sustainable materials include bamboo and pine, and come from forests that are not currently at risk of destroying the fragile ecosystems that lie within. When buying fabrics for your furniture, again, look for those that come from sustainable sources. Organic cotton and hemp are examples of sustainable fabrics, and these are preferable to their plastic equivalents, material that is hazardous to the environment, and which take thousands of years to break down when disposed of. When purchasing furniture or fabrics, look for the FISP or the FSC logos, and check for accreditations from the store you buy them from, such as The Sustainability Award, as these are ways to evidence your purchases fall within green practices.

2. Buy from your local store

We are all aware of the environmental damage caused by the traffic pollution on our roads, with the emission of toxic gases into the atmosphere. For this reason, purchase your furniture locally, instead of buying from sources halfway around the world. This way, you will both reduce the carbon footprint, and quite possibly get your furniture into your home sooner as well. Result!

3. Go for reconditioned

Rather than buying new furnishings every time you want to decorate your home, go for something reconditioned instead. It’s a small step, but you are reducing the consumer demand that continues to make a dent in our precious rainforests. You can buy reconditioned furniture online through websites such as eBay and Etsy, or you may want to have a good at refurbishing your own furniture, provided you have the woodwork skills to make a go at it. If you follow the latter, you can either sell your belongings to others (great if you need to declutter) or keep your finished product yourself, rather than spend yet more money on something new.

4. Spend wisely

To be eco-friendly, you should do one of two things. First of all, spend more when you are buying your furniture. The better quality the furniture is, the longer it will last. This way, you won’t have to replace your sofas, etc. on a regular basis with something new. Again, buy something made from sustainable materials when possible. On the other hand (and this is contradictory), spend less. By going to your local charity store, you can often buy used furniture at a fraction of factory prices. There may be no compromise on quality, either, in some cases, and you are again reducing consumer demand to chop down another tree for something new.

Finally

The more you do in your everyday life to protect the environment, the better. Our simple tips for furnishing your home are just the tip of the iceberg, as you should look for ways to continue an eco-friendly lifestyle in all aspects of the home. Hint: don’t forget to do your recycling!