WHATS YOUR 1 THING?

I educate my neighbors about surface water run off to the Puget Sound and encourage them to properly dispose of pet waste.  -Jacqui, Snohomish
COMPOST  -Katie, Kelowna
I purposely keep all my receipts in my purse and then clean through my purse with a recycling bin by my side :)  -Cassi, Seattle
Ive switched jobs in construction to a company that builds green homes!They can save ya hella cash-ola!  -JD, seattle
I use a non-disposable coffee filter and use the grounds in my garden.  -Jill, Renton
Buy "green" products and try to gradually influence as many of my friends as possible. It's working so far!  -Marian, Lacey
Being a vegetarian has more of an eco-friendly impact then buying a hybrid.  -Morgan, Seattle
I have compact florescent bulbs in most of my light fixtures at home  -Anne, Seattle
I use a drying rack for my thinner clothing instead of the dryer. Cuts my elec bill and drying time!  -Erin, West Seattle
we raise quarter horses and one thing we do is catch rain water and use it to spray down the arena.  -Leah, Freeland
I turn of the water while brushing my teeth and doing dishes  -michela, vancouver
I have carpooled my whole life as I have never owned a car.  -Faith, Everett
I RECYCLE JUST ABOUT ANY THING YOU CAN THINK OF.. I EVEN TAKE THE TIME TO STRIP RECYCLABLES OF NON-RECYCLABLE MATERIALS DO YOU ?  -RON, OAK HARBOR,WA.
If I'm not using an electronic or a light it isn't plugged in or turned on.  -Ashley, Seattle
I recycle paper, cans, bottles and I have a compost pile for the garden.  -Colette, Tacoma
I went vegetarian.  -Jen, Sedro Woolley
My one thing is to walk more and drive less.  -Nikki, Seattle
I signed up for a food PLUS+ compost recycling bin and cut our trash way down.  -TJ, bellingham
We've changed nearly all our ligh bulbs to the new compact type..they may not look beautiful but it's worth the savings!  -Angela, Black Diamond
I use a bicycle instead of the car for meetings and minor errands such as going to the post office, bank or grocery store.  -Doug, Seattle
I collect everything in the house that can be recycled and I take it down to a designated drop-area to have it sorted.  -Antonie Moffett, Lakewood
My partner and I take showers together  -L, Everett
I help at my school's Environmental Awareness club, to teach other students to respect our Earth. -Andrew, Atlanta  -Andrew, Atlanta
I recycle all the garbage I can.  -Sheldon, Orting, WA
I use cloth shopping bags. PCC has some $10 bags made by envirosax that fold up so small, I even took one to the mall.  -Joni, Seattle
Built our "chicken condo" and children's tree fort out of recycled wood from local demos.  -Vicki, Puyallup
Buy Local  -Sue, Seattle
I recycled a car. Bought a 1990 VW Cabriolet, 32 miles to the gallon, for $950. I make 6 figures but set the standard for reuse!  -David, Kirkland
ALL of the light bulbs in my house and outside are the low energy bulbs(11watts) I use less bulbs in all the rooms esp. the bath  -Kaye, Hemet,Ca
Whenever I find it on, I turn off the light in my company's conference room.  -Jill, Seattle
to get to places like school, and other towns i walk, ride my bike, rollerblade and when necessary, take the metro.  -kylie repp, snoqualmie
I only drive when absolutely necessary. Biking, walking or busing is 1Thing I do to help reduce my impact on our planet.  -Jenny Konway, Seattle
I use phosphate free, all natural detergent and softner when I do laundry.  -Kaitlin, Tacoma
Alot of people forget about being green at work, put an extra garbage can next to your desk for recyclables.  -Tim, Seattle
I work @ home, so have flexibility. From May-Oct, I try to line dry all but 3X/month. I save 100 hours of dryer time a year!  -Deirdre, Vashon
my husband and I drive natural gas cars.We fill up @ home for 1.63 a gallon & no emissions.  -laura, kenmore
using bar soaps instead of plastic bottled soaps = less packaging. also using all natural dish soaps.  -karin, poulsbo
I encouraged my collage (the art institute of Ft Lauderdale) to add receycleing bins in the Class room. I was successful.  -William, Ft Lauderdale
I have a chemical free yard and recycle faithfully. Also I grow my own vegetables.  -Lauri, Seattle
We recycle everything we can in the house.  -Michel, Auburn
I switch OFF the print option on my calculator at work. Eliminating the register tape on 99% of the caluations I do.  -Dawn, Marysville
Follow my kids around shutting off lights and making sure the water is shut off.Sounds funny but my house saves elec/water.  -Michel Brooks, Auburn
Bio-degradeable doggy poo poo bags... My dog poops a lot.  -Johna, Sammamish
I buy biodiesel for my VW Golf TDI at Dr. Dan's Alternative Fuelwerks in Ballard!  -Maggie Pettit, Seattle
Nutri lawn helps me keep my yard chemical free. Salmon spawn in the river by my house and we want to keep them from being harmed  -Dana, Issaquah
When I see a light turn yellow, I turn off the ignition and coast up to it.  -Erin, West Seattle
I have a cardboard box that I use to gather all of my veggies in at the grocery store. No more plastic bags!!!  -Scout, Bainbridge Island, WA
I drive my motorcycle as often as possible instead of my car - 50 mpg helps some.  -Bruce, Lake City
I bought a BPA-free water bottle and take it to work every day, instead of consuming several bottled waters a week.  -Stacey, Renton
I quit buying bottled water.  -Tony Russell, 100.7 The Wolf
 

Décor

April 4, 2008 - 1:02pm — clybecker

Indoor air may be three times more polluted than the air outside. This is in part because typical home products are filled with chemicals. Toxic elements are found in fabrics, carpet, cushion foams, paints, and stains. Decorating your home in a way that is healthy for you as well as the planet is becoming easier as the demand for sustainable products increases.

An easy way to start creating a more sustainable home style is to look for natural and organic fibers. Hemp is a great choice when purchasing sheets, blankets, rugs, upholstery, and much more. Hemp fibers have high tensile strength that makes it great to use in fabrics. Another option is Bamboo. It can be crafted into fabrics as well and used in flooring, furnishing, and even tableware. Hemp and Bamboo are both fast growing plants that are sturdy and more resistant to pests, reducing growth time and pesticide use.

Antiques and reclaimed wood pieces are two more sustainable ways to fill your home. Reusing items cuts waste in the landfills and new material harvested while adding uniqueness and character to the space. Stains and paints that are highly toxic and contain VOC’s (volatile organic compound) can be easily replaced by herbal oils and low VOC products. New standards and consumer demand have increased availability of these products; most manufactures now provide at least one option.

By steering away from virgin forests and fibers that require high amounts of pesticide and fertilizer use you can reduce the environmental impact that decorating your home can have. Old growth forests act as a carbon sink and provide vital habitat. Look for wood that was harvested according to the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) regulation to ensure that it is not from virgin forest or unsustainable harvesting projects.