World Changing Response #4

Alyssa Olson

World Changing Response: #4

Green Furniture and Home Décor

I chose to read about the different options that are available for “green” furniture and home décor. I was interested in this because of a few weeks ago when Professor Trumpey introduced us to the website that allows you to buy tons of home products that are environmentally friendly. The article began by describing a lot of the harm that occurs with the furniture majority of us buy. Some furniture contains PBDE’s that can cause brain damage and reproductive issues while other objects are pressed together using formaldehyde. Even if a piece of furniture does not have the potential to cause health issues it could have large environmental issues; such as the use of materials that are not sustainable or that come from endangered forests.

I was aware of a lot of the potential environmental and heath issues that some furniture can cause but was pleasantly surprised to find out about all the new “green” options. I was very interested in the renewable woods that are being designed. Many of these woods are made from inexpensive materials that usually became waste, such as the roots of bamboo plants or older coconut-palm trees. Designers have been creating new woods that use these materials to make very stylish and attractive furniture.

I also was impressed by the different options of paint. As we all know from the smell of a freshly painted room, the paint is emitting many different chemicals into the air. What I didn’t know if that even after the paint dries a lot of these chemicals still seep into the air and can cause health problems. Due to this, new paints have been created that either have no VOC’s or a very low amount. Even a paint that helps insulate your home has been developed that reflects radiant heat to lower energy use. With more and more research I am sure that within a few years it will be feasible for everyone to own more “green” furniture.