Green Your Home on a Budget
(Page 3 of 4)
May/June 2008
By Kim Wallace and Trevan McGee
Step on this.
To improve bathroom air quality, replace your old synthetic-fiber bath mat with a sustainable cork one. Cork is naturally water-resistant, and its soft texture and resilience make it perfect underfoot. Gaiam sells a mat made from sustainably harvested cork for $24. If you prefer plush for your piggies, choose organic cotton. Organic Style retails mats in four colors for $28; .
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The better bedroom
Get it covered.
Many conventional mattresses contain hazardous or irritating chemicals such as formaldehyde. While a natural-fiber or rubber-tree latex mattress is ideal, a natural mattress topper over your conventional mattress may be more economical. The Natural Sleep Store offers a full-size wool mattress topper for $260.
Dress your bed accordingly.
In summer, switch your AC off at night, then outfit your bed with lightweight linens and open a bedroom window. If you’re still too warm, invest in a small fan; it will draw less energy than cooling your entire home. In winter, lower your thermostat at bedtime—keep it set above 60 degrees, or your pipes might freeze—and add an extra blanket. Or use a space heater in the bedroom.
Simplify your sleep space.
The National Sleep Foundation calls televisions, computers and work spaces in the bedroom "sleep-stealing culprits." Move the burglars to another room. And if you’re considering adding a desk or entertainment center to your bedroom, don’t.
Whole-house fixes
These minor changes equal major benefits for the environment and your bank account.
Airtight, everything’s all right.
A drafty home inflates energy bills. But it’s easy and affordable to plug those drafts with an eco-friendly sealant. According to the Energy Star website, if the job is done carefully and completely, it could save up to 10 percent on your energy bill.
Seal gaps around windows with AFM Safecoat’s zero-VOC Caulking Compound ($8.50 for 10.5 ounces).
Use expandable foam to fill gaps. Henkel OSI GreenSeries Pro-Foam II Minimally Expanding Sealant can be used to insulate and seal gaps around plumbing, electrical work, windows and in foundation. Zero-VOC sealant: $25 for 33 ounces.