Smart decorating decisions are good for the planet and our health.
You may not realize how much of your home may be harmful to you and the environment. But the wrong furnishings and paints can actually emit toxins that cause migraines, respiratory conditions, and other health issues. Fortunately, by making smart choices, you can reduce your carbon footprint and ensure a healthier environment for you and your family.
Consider woven wood shades. Made from renewable materials, like bamboo, grasses, and jute, they can stand up to a variety of weather conditions.
PROVENANCE® Woven Wood Shades available at Lovitt Blinds & Drapery
Look for recycled materials that last a long time and require very little maintenance.
This Homemade Shelf using Recycled Materials will show you how useful your empty glass bottles can be.
Make sure your wood is sustainably sourced and certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. Or, pick up reclaimed lumber from your local wood salvage yard.
If a product is labeled as "FSC Certified," it means that the wood used in the product and the manufacturer that made it met the requirements of the Forest Stewardship Council.
Create a citrus centerpiece out of fruits or veggies. For an extra touch, you could add white blossoms or ribbons.
We love this centerpiece idea because it’s not only easy on the wallet – each one will run you about $20 for fresh or $30 for faux – but you can also change the fruit and flower combo up to match your color palette.
Fill mason jars with colored water and place them near windows that get a lot of sunlight. The water absorbs heat in the daytime and releases it back out at night.
Do you know that the color of a liquid can affect its temperature? This is because different colors reflect or absorb different parts of the light spectrum. But the most surprising thing about it was that we found that “cool” colors are actually warmer than “warm” colors!
Avoid paints with high concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These harmful chemicals can linger for years. Instead, chooses paints labeled low-VOC.
Volatile Organic Compounds or VOCs are chemicals that evaporate quickly when left at room temperature. Chemicals that can cause headaches, nausea and dizziness, and high-level exposure can have much more dire consequences like permanent kidney and liver damage, as well as problems in one’s respiratory and nervous systems.
Use candles scented with essential oils and made from natural materials, such as beeswax or soy. Other candles may have harmful VOCs or metal wicks.
Soy or Bees Wax Candles has Clear Burning. No toxins, carcinogens or pollutants which means these candles are less likely to trigger allergies. And no petro-carbon soot like you get from petroleum-based paraffin candles. Soy Candles Burns cooler & last longer.
Keep plants around. Plants convert carbon dioxide into oxygen. And by soaking up toxins and pollutants, they help purify the air.
Indoor plants can scrub the air of cancer-causing volatile organic compounds. Soil microorganisms in potted plants also play a part in cleaning indoor air. They convert the carbon dioxide we exhale into fresh oxygen, and they can also remove toxins from the air we breathe.
Keep in mind, some eco-friendly home improvements can earn you a tax write-off. And if you take your old materials to a reuse facility, they can be redistributed to organizations like Habitat for Humanity.
LOVITT BLINDS & DRAPERY
5023 FAIRVIEW AVE.
DOWNERS GROVE, IL 60515
630-729-0236
Other Services We Offer…
Blind Cleaning, Window Shade Cleaning, Blind Repairs, Window Shade Repairs, Drapery Cleaning, Curtain Cleaning, Plus We Sell Hunter Douglas Window Blinds, Shutters & Window Shades AND MORE.
