The materials used to make furniture and cabinets can contain a number of harmful chemicals that may release high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOC) in your home. This is often a problem with products made from sheet goods like particle board as well as foam found in cushions.
When buying new furniture or cabinets, check with the manufacturer to see if the products you are considering release no or low levels of VOC. Also, see if the company follows sustainable forestry practices and/or makes their products from recycled materials. Consider cushions made using soy-based foam instead.
Watch this video to find out more.
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We talk an awful lot about things you can do to make green a part of your lifestyle, but so far, we haven’t talked about furniture. I’m not suggesting that you replace your bed or couch with a hammock made from organically grown hemp, but there really is such a thing as eco-furniture that uses wood from sustainable forestry and has the certification proving it.
It’s also furniture made from reclaimed lumber harvested from old buildings, bridges, decks, even old school bleachers. Some wood is even being salvaged from river and lake bottoms, where logs sank almost a hundred years ago as they were floated to lumber mills.
The green even extends into the stuffing of sofas and pillows. You can now purchase products that use soy-based filler so no off-gassing of volatile organic compounds (VOC) is taking place years after you purchase your furniture. So, the next time you go looking for a new recliner or day bed, no matter what your color scheme—go green.
