According to data published by The World Counts Organization, humanity as a whole collects and uses over 55 billion tons of the planet’s resources each year, and this number is growing. Many of these resources are what are known as non-renewables, which means that it could take thousands, or millions of years for these resources to be replenished. Resource consumption is so great, however, that even resources that are known as renewables can’t regrow and replace themselves at a fast enough rate.
Some scientists believe that we are fast approaching a point where consumption is so great, it threatens the ability of our planet to be able to continue to support the existence of humans and other forms of life.
Awareness about the need to use less of our world’s resources and adopt more environmentally friendly policies is increasing and beginning to impact the way most of us live our everyday lives.
“One way to reduce the consumption of the
Earth’s resources when buying furniture is
to choose to buy only items that are made
of high quality renewable resources,
such as hardwoods.”
Updating Your Home While Safeguarding Our Planets Resources
Home renovation and decor is one of the many areas where both companies and consumers are beginning to adopt more eco-friendly practices. Now, updating your home to take advantage of the latest new trends and designs doesn’t mean that you have to increase your carbon footprint, or, otherwise damage the environment.
The following is a brief overview of a few environmentally-friendly ways that you can get the latest looks and features in your home.
What to Look for When Purchasing New Furniture
Every item in your home requires resources to produce. One way to reduce the consumption of the Earth’s resources when buying furniture is to choose to buy only items that are made of high quality renewable resources, such as hardwoods. One brand of furniture that is known for the caliber of hardwoods and other fine materials that are used to produce its durable and long-lasting items is Thomasville furniture. (Image source: )
When you purchase top quality furniture, it is more capable of withstanding the stresses that come from repeated use as the months and years go by. Many older pieces of furniture are so well made that they are passed down through the generations as a fully functional, yet treasured, family heirloom. (Image source:)
When you make the decision to buy products made with superior materials and attention to the finer details, you are making an investment in the future, as distinctive furniture will need to be replaced less often, decreasing the need for additional resources to create replacements over time. (Image source:)
DIY Upgrades
Sometimes, you may have a really fine piece of furniture that you simply love, but, it no longer “fits” with your other decor. In instances like these, you can cut down on your use of the planets resources by refurbishing it. Many times, all that is needed to update the look of a favorite piece of furniture is to simply strip the existing finish, lightly sand, and then refinish it in a color or stain that works better with your decor.
Other times, a simple paint job is not enough to transform your favorite item. Another eco-friendly solution is to re-purpose the item and put it to another use. For example, if you’ve recently replaced a particularly decorative door in your home with a more modern one that has all of the new security features, you may wonder what to do with it.
Instead of throwing it out, sand and paint it a solid, bold color, such as white or black, and, drill holes at the bottom so that you can attach screws, nuts, bolts or other hardware, such as railing, and transform your old door into an attractive, functional and durable new headboard for a bed!
Refurbishing furniture is becoming one of the most popular DIY projects today. Conducting an online search can give you a lot of ideas on how to use your old furniture in unique and interesting ways!
“Refurbishing furniture is
becoming one of the most popular
DIY projects today.”
What If It Isn’t Safe to Update Existing Furniture
Sometimes, you may have existing furniture that is no longer safe to use, even if you try to re-purpose it for a new use. A prime example of this is some of the baby cribs from earlier generations that contained slats that were just wide enough for a baby to insert its head and get caught, presenting a risk of severe injury or even death!
Situations like these are the perfect time to make an investment in new or refurbished furniture to replace the dangerous item, but finding a way to dispose of an unsafe item in an environmentally safe way can be a challenge. After all, you don’t want to give a potentially dangerous piece of furniture to your local charity or consignment shop for resale. In instances like these, the most eco-friendly way to get rid of old furniture is likely to take your item to your local recycling center, or to contact a local waste disposal service to safely remove the item from your home.
What eco-friendly updates have you made to your home?
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