Jennae: I've always been obsessed with design and decorating. I would literally spend hours on end watching HGTV and generally driving my husband nuts. But it wasn't until a few years ago that I also started becoming interested in the growing green movement and trying to live a more sustainable lifestyle. Once I started doing research about it and learning why it was important, there was no turning back. So it seemed natural to mesh the two things that I was most interested in at the time.

EHR: What is the budget range for "greening your decor"?



Jennae: Honestly, there is no hard and fast rule for how much a person needs to spend. In fact, I would venture to say that the greenest decorator is the one who spends nothing at all, but finds a way to re-purpose and reuse what he or she already has. After doing this, if there are items that need to be purchased, my first inclination is to find used pieces, where it is practical. Particularly when shopping for furniture, this can save loads of money, and there's nothing like buying a vintage piece that has a history and has held up to the test of time. Then, and only then, would I recommend buying new pieces. This is where some of the bigger spending can come in. Because the cost of sourcing and manufacturing green materials tends to be higher, the cost passed down to the consumer also tends to be higher. That is slowly changing as demand grows, and there are reasonably priced pieces out there. You just have to stick to your guns and be willing to look. Lastly, I've always said that greening your home is only "too expensive" if cost is the only factor you consider.

 

Jennae: Shop in your own home. Go to your garage or storage closet and take a new look at pieces you haven't seen in a while. Go through your linen closet and see what kind of bedding and other textiles have been hidden away.  Looking at old items in a new way and reducing our consumption is the first step to having a green home. Creative reuse is the first step, and there are so many tutorials online about turning objects into other, completely useful items, that you can probably find a way to re purpose something you already have into something you need or want. Secondly, declutter. Getting rid of all the "stuff" you have but don't need, want, or use will help you rid yourself of the idea that you need these things to be happy, and in turn help you learn to reduce your consumption by being happy with what you have. Next, give your home a good, natural cleaning with cleaning products you make yourself from items like peroxide, lemon juice, vinegar, etc., or with cleaning products made from all-natural ingredients rather than chemicals. Finally, ditch all the disposables you can help, i.e. Reusable plates instead of ones made of paper or plastic, and the same for cups and utensils. Use towels instead of paper towel, etc.

 

Jennae: I would definitely recommend investing in quality furniture that will last. As tempting as it can be to head to the nearest IKEA for the cheapest table/chair/bed whenever you need it, you'll do better to spend your money on a piece that you'll never have to replace rather than one that will end up in the landfill in a few years. I'd also recommend investing in a bed made of natural materials like organic cotton and natural latex, as well as organic sheets. We spend a lot of time in bed, and you wouldn't believe the toxins you'd find in traditional bedding. You can definitely be more frugal with pretty much everything else. Lastly, if you have carpet, this is one place where it would be a good idea to invest in getting rid of it. If you're lucky, you have hardwood or some other usable surface under your carpet, but if not, try to find bamboo, cork, or even wood laminate made from recycled materials on sale. It is one expense that will make a big difference in the air quality of your home. Snag those new organic cotton towels on clearance, or scour yard sales for really good deals on art, tablewares, etc.

 

Jennae: Water conservation is definitely important, and what people don't realize is that the two don't have to be mutually exclusive. By replacing your shower head with a new, and maybe more stylish, low-flow option, you can save gallons of water with every shower. By upgrading to a new, high-effiency washer & dryer or dishwasher, you'd be saving water AND energy. And by shopping for items that are made sustainably, or even that are used, you are helping reduce the demands for the tons of gallons of water that are used to manufacture new items, particularly those that are not made sustainably. Even though all we see is what ends up on shelves, by buying green products, we are also saying to manufacturing industry that we want them to clean up their act too. So while decorating may not rank high on many lists of things to do to save the environment, for those of us who take care of our homes and buy stuff for them anyway, why not be more conscious about that process?


 

Jennae: There are many different levels of green as it relates to home decor, but here's a short list:

• Buy used. Yard sales, thrift stores, Craigslist and eBay are your friends. You'd be surprised at what you can find and for how little money.
  
• Look for items with third-party certifications, like wood that is FSC-certified, which means that the Forest Stewardship Council has certified that the wood was harvested sustainably, or furniture that is Greenguard Certified for air quality.
• Stick with hardwood over MDF or manufactured wood products, which often contain formaldehyde and other toxins. Bamboo is also great when used as wood, but if possible, to find out if toxic adhesives were used to fuse it together.
  
• Avoid polyester, or almost anything with the word "poly" in it. Opt instead for natural fibers like linen, organic cotton, jute, or silk. Bamboo as a fabric is iffy, because the process used to turn it into a fabric is very chemically intensive and poses a lot of risks for the workers who do it.
• Use zero- or low-VOC paints, or even clay or milk paints, which are completely natural.
• It may sound cliche, but switch to energy saving CFLs (compact fluorescent light bulbs)
  

 

Jennae: I definitely have a few tried and true favorites, and I actually highlighted them in a post called the Top 10 Online Stores for Eco-Friendly Decorating. Among them, Gaiam, Viva Terra, Uncommon Goods and Craigslist. Yes, Craigslist. I am notorious for stalking that site whenever I need something for my home. You can also find great deals at Overstock.com, and both Pottery Barn and West Elm are releasing a lot of greener housewares that are absolutely beautiful. I'm also a big fan of etsy.com , which is a site where people from all over the world can sell their handmade goods. Handmade items, no matter what they are made of, are far greener than anyhting mass-produced.

 

Jennae: Read magazines and blogs about decorating, and keep an inspiration folder, either physically or on your computer. Whenever you come across something that resonates with you, or if you say "I wish my house looked like that," save the picture. I have an inspiration folder on my desktop organized by room, and I put photos in it all the time. When I'm short on ideas, I always have something to refer to. Cut clippings from magazines, or take pictures of pictures if it's on TV. Remember that your design doesn't have to be completely original. All that matters is that you love it.

Jennae: I have been known to hold off on buying an item for months until I can find a green alternative, but I will completely admit that I have cheated a time or two and bought items that I knew weren't green because I couldn't resist. And you know what? I didn't beat myself up about it -- at least not for long. As long as we are conscious of our habits and use every opportunity to live a greener life, I don't think it's the end of the world to slip once in a while. Because at the end of the day, there's no point in buying an item just because it's green if you don't love it, because you probably won't keep it. Buying something you love, green or not, means you'll likely cherish it for a long time to come.

Jennae: I'm a huge fan of blogs and websites, because you can get so many ideas from some really ingenious people. Among my favorites:

• http://ecofabulous.com
• http://designspongeonline.com
• http://younghouselove.com
• http://inhabitat.com
• http://www.diyideas.com/

And of course my own blog: http://greenyourdecor.com!

Learn more about Jennae on he second site www.greenandgorgeous.net.