The Carbon Friendly Way To Choose Home Furnishings and Redecorate

We have all become environmentally aware. However it is not the easiest thing to brainstorm practical ways that we can act in harmony with reducing our carbon footprint. Usually it is left to everyday homes to pursue the best way to give the environment the big green thumbs up. Below are 6 guidelines for the average home decorator (AKA mum) to go about eco-friendly decorating.

1. Don't buy plastics
Considering the environmental impact of manufacturing plastics, stay well clear of such furnishings. The durable life of plastic is generally much less than those of natural products. As an example, timber is much more durable than most plastics and can also be recycled.

2. Buy quality
The grandparents counsel still stands! Durable quality furnishings will stand the test of time and are all-round much better for the environment. Less throwing out means less land fill and less new production of furnishings. For example there are many good quality furniture wholesalers who are interested in sourcing quality products with eco-friendly manufacturing. These products continue to perform even after years of use.

3. Buy environmental, eco-friendly furnishings
There is a new breed of furniture that has a responsible approach to production. Sourced from recycled materials but made into quality furnishings, these are a great way to decorate in a sustainable manner. Here is an example of recycled teak furniture that could fit into many modern home decors.

4. Use the outdoors
The veranda, patio, deck, courtyard and balcony are all great areas to turn into functional places. Instead of burning more resources, lighting and heating/cooling an inside area of the home, use the environment you have access to. There is outdoor furniture available that is also environmentally friendly. An extra bonus with using these outdoor areas is that they usually require less "high carbon usage" maintenance (ie no vacuuming, carpet cleaning, etc).

5. Use E-bay
A great source of quality products at very economically friendly prices, www.ebay.com.au is a fantastic way to garage sale hunt without polluting the environment by driving all over town. It also can save time and it means you are recycling products that could otherwise have been thrown out.

6. Less is more
Ever seen those home makeover shows where there is so much clutter that basically all they do is remove all the rubbish and keep the quality furnishings and it automatically looks better? Well that's because it's true, less IS more. Having less in your decor means your see more of what you have and you use it more. So when decorating, or redecorating, try to keep to a minimum the number of items you need to purchase (less purchasing + less manufacturing = environment wins!).

With just a few practical guidelines, eco-friendly home decorating is possible and it doesn't have to cost the earth!