Safe & Natural Home Improvements For An Eco-Friendly Remodel

We hope you enjoyed our beginning homesteading series! If you missed any of the posts, just look back over the past few weeks on our blog for lots of helpful homesteading tips for new homesteaders.

But maybe you're not looking to be a homesteader - you just want to live a healthier and more eco-friendly lifestyle. A great place to start is with your home. Got a kitchen that needs redoing, or a bathroom? Well, if you're thinking about making some green home improvements, then here are some tips to help you naturally improve your home in an eco-friendly way. Look for these things to not only save you money when doing the remodel, but also in the long run. And you will be able to feel good about what you have done both for your home and the environment.

1. Use sustainable lumber. Sustainable lumber is certified lumber which was harvested and transported using more sustainable practices. The harvesting process evaluation is achieved by checking how the trees were planted, grown, cut down, and then replanted to ensure the regrowth of the forest. 

Tracking the transport is the next step because it traces it back to the harvesting practices, so there is a guaranteed link between the sustainable harvesting practices and the final product. So look for the certification on the label of the lumber to make sure it came from the forests which are certified sustainable.

2. Use sealants, stains, caulks, and paint low in VOC's. VOC's are volatile organic compounds. Products that either have no VOC or low VOC are non-toxic and don't give off as many gases into the air around you.

Reuse ideas: Salvaged single-pane wood frame window turned decor by painting the window and adding stencils. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

3. Use recycled materials. You can get recycled building materials from just about anywhere - from the paper on drywall being recycled to Masonite board, to crushed glass granite. Doors, windows, plumbing fixtures, and flooring can all be found at your local salvage yard. Or try a ReStore store from Habitat for Humanity if there's one in your area. 

You might not be able to find exactly what you had planned for your remodel. It's like shopping at Goodwill. You're limited to what's there, but you can also get some really great items for cheap that will make your home look great - and unique.

4. Shop local and small. Hit up the local mom and pop hardware store instead of Lowe's or Home Depot. There you can often find materials that are locally sourced instead of being shipped in from overseas. Made-in-America products are good for the environment because you are getting products which haven't been shipped from halfway around the world.

Think of all the carbon used in shipping something from the other side of the world! When you shop locally, not only are you helping local homegrown businesses - it's also better for the environment.

In-line (tankless) water heater. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

5. Replace old appliances with Energy Star certified appliances. You'll save money and the environment as well by using energy efficient appliances. Change over that hot water heater, the furnace, refrigerator, dishwasher, and stove to energy efficient appliances when you do your upgrades. Or go for a tank-less water heater.

Do your research on the appliances to see what will give you the most savings on your energy bills. You'll be glad you did, if for nothing else than for the money savings you'll see on your energy bills.

So now you know what to look for with building products when it comes time for home improvements. Make natural home improvements yourself and it will cost you less and save you money over time. Plus you will increase your home value, and make it look and feel unique.

Five Eco-Crafts For the Kids

Christmas may be over (already!), but Christmas break is not. If the cold winter is keeping you all cooped up inside, why not occupy busy little minds and hands with a few fun crafts projects? Savvy parents know you can turn just about anything into a craft project.  With a little paint, paper towel tubes can become swords or caterpillars.  Shoeboxes can become dollhouses or a little red fire engine.  Why not use everyday throwaway items and turn rainy or snowy afternoons into crafty afternoons?  Here are five eco-crafts the kids can have some fun with during the winter break:  

#1.  Jazzed up origami.  Origami, the Japanese art of folding paper, teaches children to have patience and follow directions, and they can make some pretty amazing projects.  A collection of old magazines or used Christmas wrapping paper can become a star mobile or a lantern or mobile they can hang in their bedroom. You can find lots of fun books full of origami projects online or at your local library. This was one of my favorite hobbies as a kid!

Milk carton (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

#2.  A milk carton birdhouse.  You’ll need a clean and dry cardboard milk carton, white glue, tempera or other non-toxic paint, twine, and scissors. 

Glue the top of the carton shut.  Paint carton with paint and let dry.  Cut a 2-inch hole about 4 inches up from the bottom of the container.  This is the bird’s entryway. 

Poke a hole through the top of the feeder, string a piece of twine through the hole and hang your feeder on a tree. Place a bit of birdseed inside container to attract birds.

#3.  Use old socks to make neck warmers.  Fill a ski sock or other large sock with buckwheat and dried lavender.  Sew up the end of the sock and you have a neck warmer.  Pop it in the microwave to heat the buckwheat to soothe sore neck muscles and enjoy the aromatherapy.  Pop the sock into the freezer and place on your neck to use during warm days or to place on injuries to reduce swelling.

#4.  Collect small metal items - cans, bottle caps, bobby pins, buttons, and square spice or other food containers and have your children make their own robots!  You can also use mismatched silverware for their arms.  Plastic lids work well for heads.  You’ll need a good craft glue that can bind metal to metal and plastic to metal.  Old screws, bolts, electrical wire and nuts will add to your child’s imagination.

A glue gun. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

#5.  Old jeans also make a variety of fun projects including a book bag or a notebook cover.  Adults can do the large sewing jobs or for smaller projects, children can sew by hand.  A notebook cover needs to be measured for size, making sure to leave enough overlap that the cover can be closed, cut and hemmed on all sides.  A button fastener can be attached to keep the cover closed. 

Book bags can be made by cutting the seat of the jeans off mid-thigh, cutting through the place where the legs join and then sewing front and back together.  A handle can be created to carry the bag or a zipper can be sewn in the waistband. 

There are literally a thousand craft options to make good use of things you  have lying around the house, or were planning to throw away.  These are just a few ideas to get you started.  Get creative, and have some fun with it!

Green Ideas on How to Revamp & Reuse Old Furniture

Whether you have furniture in your home you’d like to spruce up or you’ve purchased furniture at a flea market or salvage yard, there are plenty of low-cost and green ways to make old furniture exciting so you can get more use out of it and keep it out of the landfills.

Furniture conservation - applying paint remover (stripper) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

#1.  Paint it.  Dingy furniture can get a whole new life with a fresh coat of paint.  If the furniture is already painted, you’ll want to put on a mask and strip it.  Old paint can contain lead and other harmful chemicals.  Next, head to your local paint store and find your favorite color in low VOC or VOC-free paint. 

(VOCs, or Volatile Organic Compounds, are chemicals released from the paint.  They can cause illness and disease for many years to come as they are released into the air for decades.)  You can also strip and stain the furniture with natural and VOC-free stains. 

#2.  Reupholster it.  Have a piece of furniture that you like but doesn’t quite match your current décor?  Reupholster it with environmentally-friendly fabric like organic cotton or wool.  And if upholstering is too big of a do-it-yourself job, take it to an expert. It’ll cost less than buying new and is a more environmentally-friendly choice.

#3.  Add bits of finery.  Cabinets, drawers, and armoires can be spruced up with a little bit of new hardware.  You can often purchase the hardware from a flea market or a salvage store. They’re great places to find hardware with personality. 

A Chicagoland Flea Market.  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Tabletops can shine with mosaic tiles made from hammered porcelain or glass tiles.  You can find tiles at your local flea market or salvage yard and the project of hammering them into bits and then reassembling them on your tabletop into a beautiful pattern can be both cathartic and fun. 

Finally, you can also use sheets of scrap metal or recycled metal to create flash on tabletops or cupboard fronts.  The metal can be used as tiles or as an entire front to add an urban or contemporary touch. 

People have used everything from chicken wire to astro turf to add flair and personality to old furniture.  There are a million green ways to make old furniture new again - it just takes a bit of creativity.  Take a look at what you have around you and how you can make good use of it in an eco-friendly way.

Helpful Resources on Refinishing and Reusing Furniture:
   

Health Considerations: Non-Toxic Versus Standard Paints

While most standard paint no longer contains toxic lead, it is still undesirable to many.  That being said, non-toxic paint has a few drawbacks too.  Let’s take a look at the two side by side so you can make an educated decision for yourself.

Paint, once it’s on your walls, furniture and floors, releases gases for years.  These low-level emissions contain toxins called VOCs or volatile organic compounds.  Non-Toxic paint does not emit these toxins and is thus preferred by many, particularly those who are chemically sensitive or may suffer from chronic illness.

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The benefits of non-toxic paint include:

• Health benefits including a reduction in toxins released into your home. 
• Environmental benefits because these toxins are not contaminating our soil, water supply or depleting the ozone. 
• You don’t have to call the hazardous waste folks to come pick up your leftover paint.
• Generally considered to be durable and effective.  In comparison to standard paint, non-toxic paint generally covers well, is easy to clean and is durable. 

The drawbacks of non-toxic paint include:

• Non-toxic paint can be difficult to find. While it’s becoming more and more popular, it’s not carried by all paint stores.
• Non-toxic paint can be difficult to match.  Non-toxic paint just doesn’t come in the same variety of colors that standard paint offers.
• Non-toxic paint is also more expensive than standard paint.  In fact, if you’re employing someone to paint your home with non-toxic paint you can expect to pay up to 25% more.
• Non-toxic paint isn’t regulated and some manufacturers are misleading about the ingredients in their paint.  Buy from trusted retailers who carry familiar and trusted paint brands.

Sample of cadmium orange hue paint.  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Tips for Buying Non-Toxic Paint

• Understand the difference between paint options. In addition to standard paint you can buy natural paints made from water, plant oils, clay, and chalk.  This type of paint offers the safest and healthiest option but can be extremely difficult to find.

• Zero VOC Paint isn’t really zero VOC but contains 5 grams or less of VOC per liter.  Low VOC Paint offers anywhere from 250 grams per liter to 6 grams per liter.  If choosing this option look for 50 grams per liter or less.

• When buying non-toxic paint be sure to read the ingredients carefully.  The ingredient list should contain only natural, non-hazardous items like plant dyes, essential oils, milk protein, clay and resin.

• Look for natural pigments.  Standard color tints are what increase the paint’s emissions or VOC content. Purchase premixed colors or add natural pigments even though they’ll limit your color choice. 

Non-toxic paint is better than standard paint for reducing chemical emissions, and if you have any type of chemical sensitivities then it’s a good idea.  It’s better for your health and for the environment.