Going Green in Your Bedroom

Top Ten Ways to Go Green in Your Bedroom
You may wonder what exactly you can do to go green in your bedroom. After all, it's not like you have an energy sucking refrigerator in there, or a water guzzling toilet. You may be surprised then to learn that there are many things you can do to create a more eco-friendly bedroom, and a bedroom that is healthier for you as well. Here are the top ten tips to help on the road to a green and healthy bedroom.
 
1. Insulate Your House

A well insulated home will keep heat in during the winter, and out during the summer. A well insulated house will help cut your energy bills tremendously, and some utility districts (especially those owned by the public) have assistance programs for some people who want to better insulate their homes. A well insulated bedroom means no noisy heaters and no fights over the covers at 2 am.

2. Use Blankets, Not Heaters

Another good way to cut down on your electricity consumption and go green in the bedroom is to invest in good blankets for the winter. These will trap your body heat during sleep, making outside heaters unnecessary. Down insulates well, as does wool. If you are allergic or don't use animal products there are several hypoallergenic options on the market.

3. Windows, Fans, and Blinds are Your Friends

Air conditioning is a huge source of power consumption; one unit can raise bills by as much as 25%. Instead of turning on the AC open your windows and turn on ceiling fans to circulate the air. Also invest in good blinds and drapes to block out the glaring sun.

4. Use CFL's in Your Light Fixtures

A compact fluorescent bulb can be four to five times more efficient than a regular light bulb, saving you big bucks in the process. Of course, remember to turn off the lights when you are not in the room as well.

5. Buy Vintage Furniture

I think everyone can agree that we need more trees on this Earth, rather than less. To go green in the bedroom you need to reduce, reuse, and recycle, and furniture is a great place to start. You don't need to pay big bucks for fancy antiques though, look in the newspaper for castoffs that are only a few years old, and hundreds of dollars less.

6. Choose an Eco-Friendly Mattress

One of the scariest events in your bedroom happens in the mattress you sleep on every night. Most conventional mattress give off gas chemicals like formaldehyde and PDBE's, which are carcinogenic flame retardants that have been found to cause learning disabilities in children. Instead, get a emission free mattress, or one made of natural materials like wool that are inherently flame-retardant. Latex mattresses are also considered safe.

7. Buy Organic Linens

One of the easiest ways to go green in the bedroom is to buy organic linens for your bed. Cotton is one of the most pesticide and synthetic chemical intensive crops on the planet, and conventionally grown cotton is very hard on the land. Also, conventional sheets are soaked in chemicals to make them softer before you buy them. Steer clear of these slimy sheets and buy organic cotton or bamboo sheets, which are readily available at most department stores.

8. Consider a HEPA filter

The EPA estimates that indoor air is anywhere from two to five times more polluted that outdoor air. Part of going green in the bedroom involves safeguarding your health, and a quality HEPA filter can help do that. Your breathing helps determine your quality of sleep as well, and a HEPA filter can help improve this. If you don't want to go for an air filter, at least buy a vacuum with a HEPA filter to help improve the quality of the air in your home.

9. Choose Hypoallergenic Materials Over Down

Some people are allergic to down while others protest the methods of producing it. Whichever way you feel there are tons of hypoallergenic and eco-friendly options on the market. Some options include wool, cotton, millet hulls, buckwheat, and shredded latex. Just make sure that whichever you choose, it was organically produced!

10. When You Redecorate, Choose low-VOC Paint

Volatile organic compounds, or VOC's, can emit toxic fumes not only while you are painting but for years to come. To go green in your bedroom choose a paint with little to no VOC's or look for a paint with the Green Seal stamp of approval. This is just one of the ways you can help turn your bedroom from a toxic environment to a healthy and peaceful place.

As you can see, going green in the bedroom not only benefits the environment but also your health. Most of the tips above are easy to follow, so why not get started today? -supergreenme