Greening Your Bedroom

Now we move on to the room that most people don't think of as necessarily green. But there are particular reasons eco-friendliness is especially important in the room where we spend our most vulnerable time. The key is to keep products with pesticides and chemicals out of the room and look for micro-constructed natural fibers too keep the global and local environments safe and healthy.

Working from the floor up, the FLOORING should be a surface that does not harbor allergens but still be comfortable to bare feet. We use natural eco-cork in all the upstairs bedrooms and vintage wool carpets on the concrete first floor rooms. Bamboo and FSC-certified wood flooring are other options Ive had great experiences with in other homes. Wool and silk natural carpets are also anti-microbial as well as durable and will soften your step out of bed on a chilly morn. If you want a just a small soft rug on the hard surface, get something that you can throw in the washer now and then for air quality's sake. Look for products that do not use bleach or other chemicals--they are usually even softer. There are bamboo fiber and organic cotton options as well for bedside rugs, if you want to go even greener.

The FURNITURE can be reused antiques or interesting vintage used pieces--depending on your style. If you get new furniture, certified wood or renewable materials are the way to go. We have a beautiful bamboo bed from Platform Beds Online. They also have nightstands and other affordable bedroom furnishings. Bamboo is rapidly renewable in that it can be replenished quickly.

MATTRESSES made from natural rubber are the most hypo-allergenic and comfortable options available. My favorite source for all our cushions and mattresses is FoamOrder.com. Check their clearance section before ordering something from scratch. They are reasonable and VERY healthy.

The linens and other SOFT GOODS are yet another couple of places where I can push the bamboo thing. We have robes that you would swear were made from silk terry but they are just silky bamboo from certified products. With no bleaches or chemicals, they are a nice natural ecru color. Towels also are silky, but very absorbent. The the anti-microbial, fungicide, and pesticide properties of the bamboo's "Kunh" does not allow bacteria to grow, keeping mildew and other allergens, as well as dust mites and bed bugs from harboring in the textiles. The sheets we use are an organic cotton and bamboo blend, colored with soy dyes. They are very soft and durable. AND we got them at Target. Now Target also has rayon [made from bamboo] and cotton jersey as well.

We found that we sleep longer and deeper than ever in this green and healthy haven.