By Lorri Mealey
Purchasing environmentally friendly products are a great way to help save the environment. They are also kid friendly, with no toxins or chemicals. However, green products can be two to three times more expensive than those not eco-friendly. By choosing one or two products for your preschooler’s bedroom, you can go green and not break your decorating budget.
Paint
If you are considering painting your preschooler’s bedroom, think twice before your next trip to the paint store. Traditional paint gives off VOC’s (volatile organic chemicals) which can contribute to indoor air pollution. Many new brands of paint have come on the market recently that contain no VOC’s. These new safe paint lines come in a huge variety of colors. Companies like Cloverdale Paint, MAB Paints, and Benjamin Moore all offer eco-friendly paint.
When you are shopping for new paint, look for the Greenseal or SCS (Scientific Certification Seal) which indicates that brand of paint is certified eco-friendly.
Flooring
Wood is the most obvious organic choice for flooring, when finished with an organic stain. (Be sure to look for the SCS on the label.) However, there some other interesting options to consider when putting down a new floor. Cork has become a common floor covering in recent years. Cork is softer to little feet than hardwood floors. Click-together cork tiles are easy to install and can be placed over existing flooring, such as linoleum, carpet, or cement. Cork comes in a variety of colors. You can combine two colors for a fun checkerboard effect. Cork is also a highly sustainable material, with forests that regenerate every six years or so.
Carpet tiles are also a popular alternative to wall-to-wall carpeting, which can contain a plethora of toxins and chemicals. Several companies, including Kaleidoscape Carpet Tiles, offer eco-friendly carpet tiles, which are easy to install. Carpet tiles are great for preschooler’s bedrooms, because if the carpet becomes stained or damaged, you only have to replace one tile, not entire carpet!
Organic BeddingOrganic bedding has many hidden benefits, which make it worth the cost. The cotton industry uses one quarter of all pesticides, worldwide. Buying organic cotton, made without harmful pesticides can help support organic farmers. Companies like Greensleep and Kushtush Organics offer a variety of organic and eco-friendly bedding. Items you may want to consider for your preschooler’s bedroom include mattress filled with natural latex rubber, cotton, or wool (all sustainable resources) and wool filled comforters.
For more information on going green in your preschooler’s bedroom, as well as around the rest of your home, check out the official Greenseal Site:
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