Forget “crunchy” furniture that looks like it was discovered in an old hippie commune from the 1960s.

“Green” or sustainable furniture now has a level of style and sophistication we didn’t see three years ago when the eco-friendly design movement first gained momentum. Eco-friendly no longer has to mean furniture that looks like it was thrown together from the scrap pile.

“Choosing something environmentally friendly doesn’t mean it has to be stark, uncomfortable or unusual in any way,” says Jackie Hirschhaut, vice president of public relations and marketing for the American Home Furnishings Alliance, the largest trade association representing the home furnishings industry. She cited the example of C.R. Laine, one of the first manufacturers to use repurposed plastic bottles in the soft fiberfill of the upholstery backs of well-designed sofas.

The move toward eco-friendly or sustainable furniture is gaining momentum nationally. Other well-known companies like Copeland, Century and La-Z-Boy are joining the movement. So are fabric companies such as Schumacher, the Q Collection and O Echo Textiles.

Hirschhaut’s trade association has been helping manufacturers through a process to help them make more green furniture and reduce their manufacturing’s environmental impact.

“We have been seeing the eco-wave about three years,” she says. “The materials being used are not all revolutionary with the exception of soy-based foam.” The foam became a springboard for upholstery companies to use other green products such as natural fiber covers, sustainably harvested wood frames, recycled metal springs and nontoxic glues, she says.

GREEN SHOPPERS

Despite the increase in choices, only 8 percent of mainstream furniture buyers said they had purchased eco-friendly or green furniture, according to the 2009 Sustainable by Design Consumer Marketing Research Study conducted last October for the alliance. These green shoppers said they believed that the sustainable furniture was higher quality and they were willing to pay an additional 10 percent or more for it.

Consumers aren’t alone. Many designers and architects are also reluctant to go green.

“Designers often think sustainability means too much work and too much money,” Jobi Blachy told designers recently in the Nessen showroom at the Design Center of the Americas in Dania Beach. Blachy is president of Edward Ferrell + Lewis Mittman, a New York manufacturer of green furniture.

“Only 10 percent buy the furniture because it is sustainable and 90 percent because it’s beautiful.”

Cost doesn’t have to be a stumbling block. Industry experts say green furniture costs only 10 to 20 percent more than other furniture.

Herman Brun, a Miami architect and co-founder of the South Florida Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council, says green has been popular in Europe for years, then Californians picked up the concept. It just began to take off in South Florida about 1 ½ years ago, says Brun, who owns Den Architecture with his wife, Lizmarie Esparza.

Despite the increased availability of green furniture, Brun says his clients are more into green building — solar panels and efficient plumbing, lighting and appliances — than green furniture.

“We are not getting the demand that would justify huge production of the furniture,” he says. “Most of the green furniture we use is produced custom by local craftsmen.”

USED PRODUCTS

New furniture isn’t the only alternative. Brun says the most sustainable furniture is used or reclaimed. Since it was already produced, the carbon footprint is minimal. He often finds pieces at salvage yards and flea markets.

Interior designer Nancy Astrid Lindo of Astrid Design Studio in San Francisco, an eco design and green consulting firm, also recommends that consumers shop at thrift, vintage and antique stores. She spoke recently on “Designing for a New Era” at MiaGreen Expo and Conference in Miami, a major green event for architects, engineers, designers and builders.

“Designers are known for creating interiors and doing a lot of fluff work,” she says. “I want to help them understand they have a much greater responsibility not to create just gorgeous interiors but to create a small eco system within the larger eco system.”

This means using furniture made with no toxic finishes, glues and adhesives, paired with organic fabrics and wood sourced from sustainable forests. If an old piece is being reupholstered, she suggests using soy or rubber as stuffing and going back to organic cotton, wool and horsehair.

But finding eco-friendly furniture outside of used sources isn’t that easy. The movement, still in its infancy, has no standard definition or government oversight. It does have independent certification programs that can help consumers identify green products such as GreenGuard (www.greenguard.org ) and the Forest Stewardship Council (www.fsc.org).

Companies are still “greenwashing,” or making claims for green that are exaggerated or aren’t true. And some furniture retailers may remove the hangtags that designate third-party certification.

Lindo suggests using a design professional to determine if the furniture is really green.

“A lot of manufacturers claim to be sustainable, and to the untrained eye they can convince you that a product is green when it isn’t,” she says. “A trained eye can peel back the layers and ask questions of the manufacturers so you can determine if it is sustainable.”

If you don’t want to use a designer, a good source for information is www.regreenprogram.org. The website, sponsored by the American Society of Interior Designers and the U.S. Green Building Council, offers a series of guidelines and sources for green remodeling.

MAKE AN IMPACT

Blachy says you don’t have to do a whole house green to make a difference. Even one or two green pieces of furniture can make an impact. Ask for certification, such as Forestry Stewardship Council or GreenGuard. Ask for a sustainability statement. Ask for the origin of materials. And ask for one with low emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

“I think the main thing is to help people understand that sustainable, green and eco are not just for a certain demographic or a certain stereotype,” Lindo says. “Healthy living and healthy interiors can fit any budget. We need to demand these things of furniture manufacturers and vote with our dollars.”

Start off by opening all the windows and doors and allow the fresh aromas of this season to move through your house.  Even if you live a bustling metropolis, outside air is usually cleaner than stagnant indoor air, a bit surprising isn’t it?

Consider a deep cleaning of furniture covers, linens and rugs – an excellent opportunity to get rid of dust bunnies and hiding cobwebs.

During this clean sweep, consider storing heavy winter blankets and trade them for lighter cottons and natural fibers.  If you have heavy drapery on your windows, safely store them for the Fall and hang light-weight fabrics that will allow the warm sunshine to stream into your home.

Since this is a time of natural transformation, consider taking a full approach and remove any items from your home that have piled up over the years.  Donate what you don’t need and safely remove anything that needs to be handled properly, such chemicals and hazardous materials.

A great place to start is by removing the toxins that already reside in your home.  Check under the kitchen/bathroom sink and garage for unknown and miscellaneous products that may be potentially hazardous to your health and that of your family.  Many everyday products fall under this category, always read ingredients and caution labels.  My rule of thumb is, if I cannot pronounce the ingredient or recognize it, I trust that it is dangerous and opt to not have it in my home.   Should you find some of these things and want to get rid of and don’t know how?  Drop them off at a Haz Mat (hazardous material) collection site.

Instead of spending extra money on future purchases of some of these chemicals, consider how our grandparents used to clean – naturally!

Here are some DIY recipes:

Toilet Bowl Cleaner

• ¼ cup baking soda
• ½ Lemon
• 1 cup vinegar

Mix ingredients into a paste, place inside rim and let sit for a couple of minutes and then scrub.

Add essential oils (ie:  tea tree, lavender, eucalyptus) for pleasant odors and anti-fungal/bacteria fighting properties.

Tub / Tile Cleaner

• 1 cup water
• 3 cups baking soda

• For tough stains use white vinegar on a rag to help first.

* Careful as vinegar may also break down grout.

Mix ingredients into a paste and apply with a brush and scrub.

Add essential oils (ie:  tea tree, lavender, eucalyptus) for pleasant odors and anti-fungal/bacteria fighting properties.

Bronze Cleaner

• ¼  cup sea salt
• ½ lemon

Sprinkle salt on bronze and use half lemon like a sponge and work in circular motion.  Voila!

With these simple recipes you will quickly realize that harmful and expensive cleaners are not necessary to get the job done.  You can find more recipes here.

Some other easy tips would be to incorporate aerators on your faucets and low flow showerheads for your bathroom.  Be cautious with the amount of water you use and consider it a source for life rather than a resource!

Another simple tip to consider is shopping at the farmers market at least a few times a month.  Not only do you support your local economy but you will be assured with knowing where you food comes from.

Spring-cleaning is optimum for enticing the senses and promoting a lighter sensibility.  Take advantage of this metamorphosis that is happening all over nature and incorporate elements into your life to help you live a more simple and green life – Happy Spring!

We are living at the dawn of a New Era, a time in history where we have never had this much access to information and technology as well as native cultures from all regions of the world.

With the evolution of design, building and architecture, we have an unprecedented amount of responsibility considering the state of our natural world. Globally, the earth is changing at a dramatic rate, human population continues to grow exponentially and we continue to tap our natural resources.

With the evolution of modern technology and intuitive living, we can shift from a society that extracts to one that is regenerative and in turn is balanced.

By incorporating, site location, human scale, and natural elements such as, weather patterns and local materials into the design of buildings, we can begin to return to a localized way of designing our communities.

For the past several decades, we have been using templates of cookie cutter homes, buildings and commercial structures to design our urban cities. What we have discovered is that every region is specific with its own climate, topography and natural resources. Beginning to integrate all these elements, in addition to, the orientation, the design, materials, and culture of a place we can we begin Designing for a New Era.

Design can be defined as the creation and execution of an object, space or system.
In its broader terms, it has the capacity to represent many things, in this context design is not only referencing our homes and workplace, but also to our landscapes our neighborhoods and in turn our cities.

In taking a journey through design, we begin with the interior and work our way out, painting a picture on how everything is interrelated.

Often times, sustainable design is not seen, but rather it is felt. Now is a time to see interior design as a hybrid of combining such key components as green building and design as well as ecological interior and exterior spaces.

One of the biggest problems we face are environmental toxins, chemicals and other materials, created largely from industry, masked as dryer sheets, smoke, scented candles, antibacterial products, air fresheners, cleaners, furniture, deodorizers, cat litter, sprays, perfume/cologne and synthetic fibers.

These chemicals have saturated our water, food and the very air we breathe, but most important, they have entered our bodies and now we are passing this on to our children.

So, what is in our interiors?

• Phthalates – Found in plastics, plastic wrap, plastic bottles, plastic food containers and fragrances
• Phenols – Found in household cleaners, perfumes, polishes, waxes and hard plastics.
• Urea Formaldehyde – Found in furniture, carpets, upholstery, plastics, building materials and foam insulation.
• Biological Pollutants – Found in dust, mold and mildew.
• Organochlorine Compounds – Found in pesticides, chlorine, paints, waxes, plastics, PVC and vinyl.
• VOC : volatile organic compounds – Found in paint, furniture and carpeting.
• PBDE : polybrominated diphenyl ethers – Found in flame retardants found in furniture, soft furnishings and electronics.

Many of these chemicals are not only found in our living environment, but have made their way into our food supply through the various natural cycles found in life.

Common practice uses a variety of chemicals in our soft furnishings, carpeting, electronics and fabrics; information that should encourage us to be as discerning as possible. It is key to eliminate these chemicals, in addition to, a host of many others that have never been tested for their toxicity levels to human life.

These days there are material and product selection for all things green. Consult your experts and always source products that are built to last, made properly, non-toxic and healthy.

There is a new approach to the conventional way of designing and building that incorporates new ways of thinking, in a more fundamental manner, such as incorporating lifecycle analysis as well as form and function, amongst so much more.

Let us start designing and creating a future that does not require purchasing food, clothing and furniture that does not have chemicals in them, but rather making sustainability standard practice and green building and designing becoming a way of life.

What you can do NOW:

Visit: HappyHeartsFund.com
Twitter:  @HappyHeartsFund
Become a fan:  Facebook Fanpage
Text to Give: Text “HEART” and reply YES to give $5
Watch and Share: Bring Happiness Back

Go Green Expo, the nation’s premier eco-friendly tradeshow, is coming back to Los Angeles on January 22-24 in partnership with CBS-TV. The event will showcase the latest and greatest in all things green & eco-friendly. Additionally there will be food tastings, a job fair and a variety of panels and presentations.

I will feature some of the most dynamic experts in the field:

- Eric Corey Freed:  Organic Architect – Green Architect, Author
– Davida Heller:  Ecospire – Green Building Consultant
- L. Axil Comras: Green Home -  Product and Eco living specialist
– Shawn Berry – Woodshanti -  Furniture and finish expert
– Stacey Champion - Champion Indoors – Indoor Environmental Specialist
- Jennifer Schwab – Sierra Club Green Home – Director of Sustainability

The beauty is that New Years resolutions are aimed at improvement and personal growth.  It is suggested that these resolutions are written down on paper, in a journal or perhaps even a vision board.  Having them on paper solidifies your commitment and reminds you that you have set personal goals for yourself.  This time of the year is perfect to use the reset button and start anew and twelve months later to reflect on how far you have come along, only to propel you to push yourself the following year for those more lofty goals.

This year consider integrating an Eco-Resolution from now on.  How about making a personal difference in your own personal footprint?  Start out by finding out the size of your footprint, based on your lifestyle.  This will help you gauge where you need to start placing some more attention – perhaps it is on your water consumption, your waste production or the amount of energy you use.

Whatever it is you choose, the first step begins with observation.  Start paying attention: do you leave the water running when you are brushing your teeth, shaving or washing dishes?  What about leaving a trail of lights on, while rooms are unoccupied?  Have you ever paid attention to the amount of waste that you are producing?

These are all excellent and simple ways to get the ball rolling on your way to an Eco-Resolution.  Take advantage of all the available resources that we have.  Consider dusting off your bike – you not only get your workout, get around faster, but you will save on money and carbon – you can’t beat that!

Still want to do more?  Not a problem, the good thing is you can effect every facet of your life from how you shop, how you eat, the products you use, to how you get around and even what furnishings are in your home.

It can be a bit daunting but the key is to start small, remember going green is a process and use the tools that are available to help you along.   For guides, resources and a glossary check out my resources page, its chock full if excellent information!

Happy New Year and Happy Greening!

With the many sparkles and glitter that abound, during this holiday season, let us remember to get creative and resourceful as it is not about the material but rather about the essence.  From Thanksgiving through New Years, Americans discard an additional 25% more waste – creating an additional 5 million tons of trash.

Let us me make a change this year!  Here are some simple holiday tips to bring holiday cheer back into the season:

Holiday gifts

Although it may appear as though celebrating this time of year would not be complete without a gift exchange, it is a perfect opportunity to explore beyond going to the mall.

Think of how you can support your local community by purchasing your gifts from the many holiday marts that sprout in cities all over the country, bringing together local craftsmen and artists to sell their goods.   These marts usually sell goods that are usually fair-trade, made sustainably and/or locally.   If your town does not have any, check out Global Exchange’s fair-trade store.

Purchasing gifts that are useful and durable will leave a longer lasting memory than some!!thing that is disposable or wasteful.  A beautiful non-conventional approach is purchasing alternate gifts, such as micro loans, such as from Kiva, or purchasing a membership from your favorite non-profit or cause.

You can also get really creative and make your own gifts!  Nothing has more personal detail than a homemade gift or card and a fun opportunity to get your creative juices flowing!  Also, keep in mind that wrapping paper comes from trees so try re-using old newspapers, fun paper or even old fabric, which gives gifts such a regal look.  Who says being green can’t be sophisticated – it is the new elegance!

Remember, it is the essence that lies in the gesture and not in the gift.

Trees / Ornaments / Candles

Decorating is one of the most festive parts of the season, yet, it is a wonderful opportunity to be aware of not purchasing items that may be toxic and endanger you and your loved ones.

What many people do not know is that Christmas trees (or Hanukah bush) usually take about 7 – 10 years to grow.  Many time the tress are specifically cultivated for this purpose and are usually brought from Canada.  These trees are usually laden in pesticides and fertilizers, which can contaminate your indoor air quality.

Thinking of a plastic tree?  Yes, you can re-use it year after year, but it is made of plastic.  The plastic is heated by the lights and also can off gas.

Still want a tree?

Opt for the potted kind.  You can keep him for years to come and end up saving a lot of money in the long term.  Don’t want to keep it year round?  Consider planting it!  I saw a Christmas tree that was planted at the turn of the century and it was huge!  Imagine being able to leave that gift behind to your neighborhood!

Another excellent option for those craving that winter scent at home, find a local organic tree farm.  Once the holidays have passed, don’t just set your tree at the curb and add the holiday tree cemetery, instead, take it to your local park where local municipalities offer tree-take-back programs that mill the tree into mulch for your park!

Wanting to decorate with candles and engage in that romantic winter feel?  Always purchase soy or bees-wax candles.  Conventional candles are made of a petroleum base and sometimes with a lead wick – completely contaminating your indoor air quality.  Want scented candles?  Always look for the ones that are made with 100% essential oils – do not purchase artificially scented candles with fragrance.

Food

This time of the year people are known to leave their diets at the waste side (literally) and simply stuff themselves.  Food is sacred and opting for gluttony may not be the healthiest choice.  Instead of making extra food, consider donating to your local food bank and help feed an individual or a family.

When planning your menu try to source from your farmers market and choose ingredients that are conducive to this growing season, your region and are organically available. 

Community Services

This is also a time to reflect on the vibrancy of life we have all around us, consider giving back to the less fortunate.  There are many ways to get involved in your local community and reach to those that may be alone or unable to afford a meal, there is nothing like volunteering for a soup kitchen or a shelter.  Don’t have the time?  Most non-profits depend on the generous donations of donors.  Giving doesn’t need to be for the wealthy, instead donations of all amounts are gladly accepted and appreciated.

Happy and safe holidays – may peace reign in hearts and in your homes!

By Nancy Astrid Lindo for Eco Matters Daily

• The Importance of Battling Greenwashing – A Case in Point

By Davida Heller of Ecospire

• Should we Green Wash for the Sake of Spreading Green to the Masses?

By Tracy Helper for The Huffington Post

As the beautiful colors of Fall reminisce on tree branches, the days are quickly growing shorter and signs of our approaching winter are before us.  This is an optimal time to prepare our homes for maximum heat conservation and efficiency.

Taking a look at your home as a whole system is critical, as it allows you to see how one component is dependent on the functionality of another.  For this very reason, it can guide you in observing these units individually helping you create a map of these various elements in your home, and find any malfunctioning systems.

Taking the DIY approach can be a beneficial band-aid helping to prevent chilly air from making its way inside your home and keeping energy bills at bay.  For a more comprehensive and accurate reading and solution, it is best to have a complete energy audit from a building scientist that can properly diagnose your home and offer the proper solutions.

Begin by checking all fenestrations in the home, this can gauge where potential leaks may be.  Checking doors and windows, while they are open, will indicate if there is self-adhesive foam tape.  This is a quick and easy solution that will give doors and windows a tighter seal.  At night, you can check additional air leaks by having interior lights on and outside lights off or vice versa, this is a simple step that notes any light leaks.

Many times doors are installed without a threshold, this can allow for a significant amount of cold air to creep in while wasting warm air.  To add additional tightness, add a threshold seal adhered to the interior or exterior bottom part of the door, which will prevent any further air from entering or exiting.

Confirm that there are no holes or cracks around the fenestrations as these gaps allow for air to circulate in the walls.  This simple step can save 1,700 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $274 per year.

In addition, sealing these openings and adding insulation where necessary, is a crucial step.  Keep in mind when choosing your insulation, that you chose a product that is non-toxic and is appropriate to your need and climate.

When heating your home, know when are the best times and at what temperature to best maintain to it.  If you have a timer on your thermostat know how to regulate it and maintain it at 68 degrees, there is a 3% reduction in heating costs for every degree you lower it.  While you are at work, keep it at 55 degrees, no need to heat your home in the morning if you are on your way to work.  Small space heaters – either built in or auxiliary – work great, and generally are more energy efficient than using a whole system. Don’t be afraid to bundle up and get cozy, sometimes we just need to throw on a sweater!

Consider having your furnace and fireplace flue checked – both can block air circulation and actually prevent functionality or worst, contaminate your home’s indoor air quality.  Dust off and clean all air filters and check that floor supply registers are not blocked by furniture or area rugs.   If you are considering replacing your furnace, look into government incentives and rebates and save up to 40% on your energy bill!

If you have an open wood-burning fireplace indoors, consider having an exhaust fan or open a window to ventilate, as wood burning smoke can contaminate the indoor air quality of your home.

Keeping your drapes open during the day captures heat from the sun is an excellent and natural way to heat your home.  Heavy drapery naturally insulates, unlike lightweight curtains that are suited for warmer temperatures. This is also trimming season, the perfect time to trim any non-deciduous trees or shrubs that may be blocking in the sun’s rays.

Depending on the kind of system you have, by simply shutting doors to unoccupied rooms can assure that heat is maintained where you want it.

With people having the desire to contribute to fighting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the best place to start is at home!  Little do people realize that when using electricity we are directing supporting coal or – one of the largest offenders in GHG emissions.

As oil and natural gas prices continue to rise and the unsustainable  practices imposed on our planet continue, it is imperative to begin integrating Smart Living Practices into our lives!