Indoor quality

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, on average, Americans spend 90% of their time indoors, yet the air inside our homes and offices can be ten times more polluted than outdoor air.

A report in the New England Journal of Medicine states that 40 percent of children will develop respiratory disease, in part due to the chemicals in their homes.

Buildings consume 42% of the nation's energy, produce 40% of our landfill waste, and create 40 % of the emissions responsible for global climate change. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

This is the reason I I'm working as an Environmental Interior Designer. I want to make a different. I hope for a better living in the future, for my children and grand children. There is hope, and we can help the environment by change our indoor quality and life expectation. Baby steps are better than nothing!

washing clothes

I just learned that a typical family of four averages 1.5 loads of wash per day. Wow. That's 9 1/2 loads per week. Do we really dirty our clothes that much? Anyhow, here is some tips that can save you both time and money when washing clothes.

First, try to wash in full loads. When washing larger items like sheets and towels mix in some smaller items and don't overload it. This will not only clean better but also be less taxing on the washer's motor. Use only hot water for whites and hard to clean items your wash will be just as clean, fade less, and have fewer wrinkles. Finally, do not use more soap than is recommended because your machine will have to work harder to clean and rinse the items. Source Excel Energy.

Today's tip: Have a nice Holiday and don't spend too much time in the laundry room. :)

Energy Saving

A simple thing for saving energy is just turn off the lights when you leave the room. There is no reason to have the lights on when you're not there, or? You'll be amazed what a different it will make. Energy saving bulbs reduces the energy drastic.

Take a short shower instead of taking a bath. When you brush your teeth turn on the faucet only when you need to rinse. Make sure no faucets are leaking.This will save you gallons of water every day.
If you have old windows, it might be worth have them changed out to a more energy efficient. save energy by reducing the heat one degree in your house and wear socks instead. Check your heating bill next time.

Today's tip: Check what else you can do to save energy. There is an enormous information online.

Compost

Hey I think the future is looking brighter. More and more people are starting to make compost, and finding meaning and fulfillment in turning their “garbage” into nutritious rich compost. More than half of our “garbage” is biodegradable and can be composted. In Sweden there is a product founded, called Johanna. It's a plastic compost bin. I used to own one in Sweden. It's an amazing product where you don't have the mess and smell from a normal open compost bin. It's easy to maintain and it allows you to compost all your food waste. This means bones, bread, dairy, eggshell, fish, fruit, meat, soup and vegetables can all be used and composted, as well as coffee filters, teabags, household papers, egg cartons, wilted flowers and dead houseplants. Anything biodegradable you normally throw in the trash bin. You can make your own fertilizer instead of buying the expensive petroleum fertilizers. Check out Green Johanna's website: http://www.jorvik.se/sas/2/6/2/4/

Today's Tip: Invest in an compost. I will. Simply add another bin in your kitchen and separate the waste that can be composted from that which cannot.

Eco-friendly kangaroo farts!!

Wow, I came across an article about Australia. They have gone as far as researching the kangaroos farts to implant into the cattle and sheep to reduce the global warming. If you don't believe me, check out this website: http://www.afp.com/english/news/stories/071206010044.i9k0wvk7.html
Well, if it works I welcome it. It's a bit amazing what the scientists can come up with nowadays.

Anyhow, for us that don't have kangaroos around us, there are other alternatives.

Today"s Tip: Keep you farts to yourself. :)

cleaning stuff

Well, it's been more than two weeks since I posted the last blog. It's hard to start this, but I'll get there.

I went to a networking event and met a lady that sells environmental cleaning products. Cleaning products, hmm, let me guess.. How many bottles do we have under the sink that is toxic to the environment, and to us? Probably 80%. Perhaps it would be a good thing to finish them up and send the empty bottles to recycling, and then start buying organic products. There are so many reasons to buy nontoxic products. Your health, your kids health, Earth, which they will continue live on when we are gone. You owe it to yourself and your kids. I have decided to start making a different. It may be a drop in the ocean but together we can fill the whole ocean.

Today's tip: take a peek at the labels on the products you have for cleaning your house, read the ingredients. When time for refill look for a nontoxic product. Perhaps this can make the first step towards a "Greener house".

my green way of interior design

I have decided to start a blog to write about Green Design/Environmental Design. We need to take actions and why not start to educate ourselves and save our planet Earth as much as we can. It sounds so serious, but it is. We live in a disposable world, everything we throw away gets in the trash bin of Mother Earth. But luckily not everything, because there are people out there caring and recycling.

I work in the Interior Design world, and so many people don't care where they buy the items from, or where it comes from, as long as it looks nice in their home. I want to integrate sustainable design into our daily lives.

Today"s tip: No more plastic bags! Use a cloth bag from e.g. (http://www.themissionwear.org). This is just one source where you can get one, or sew one yourself.