Natural Environment Blog

A growing concern for many home owners when developing a new property, is how their new build may have a negative effect on the environment. Around the world, many forward thinking property developers have turned to ‘green building’, a term coined for adapting the products and materials used around the home to reduce the normal rates of power consumption.

By incorporating eco features into the home, it’s possible to see a large annual reduction in the normal fuel costs associated with living, and for eco orientated home owners, it’s another step towards building a clearer conscience.

To combat an increasing interest in eco development, many industries have increased the availability of green products in the market, including the swimming pool industry.

The demands of a swimming pool are high, they traditionally use a a great deal of energy to remain heated, and water consumption is another point of concern. These concerns however, may soon be alleviated by a growing number of construction alternatives and products that are being used to reverse their energy consumption.

Natural Pools

When planning the construction of a swimming pool, a growing trend in the eco market is to build a natural pool. With the popularity of natural pools spreading from Europe to American markets, they have become a viable green option for many home owners.

The main concept behind a natural pool is the construction of more pond-like habitat, that blends in with the surrounding environment. Their construction is generally a simple process, a hole with sloping sides is dug at a variety of depths, and is then lined with eco friendly materials such as compacted clay or a synthetic liner that uses rubber as aposed to PVC.

The term natural pool is used because the filtration system consists of biological filters and plants rooted hydroponically into the system. Because these systems have biological equivalents in the natural world the the whole process becomes entirely eco friendly. Natural filtration systems can include copper or silver ion disinfection, or the even the simple use of UV light.

Water Consumption

In terms of water consumption, in hot climates evaporation can be the main concern. An increase in evaporation can lead to large amounts of water consumption when refilling pools. To combat this there are now a variety of inventive products entering the market.

One such product a solar powered pool cover, harnesses the energy of the sun by transmitting the solar rays through sealed air cells, specially produced to both retain warmth by up to ten degrees and produce power. In some cases the increase in warmth can extend the outdoor swimming season by up to six weeks.

Solar Pumps

Solar pumps can also be seen as another cost effective and logical use of solar energy. Swimming pools combined with a normal pump system are usually seen as the second largest and most expensive electrical load after air conditioning.

By using solar pump which sits on the surface of the pool and harvests solar energy to run, you can effectively reduce the cost of pumping completely.

Another bonus to a solar pump, is the lack of sound, reducing the noise pollution associated with running a pool.

This article was contributed by Thomas Jones. Thomas works for Falcon Pools, a swimming pool construction company who are making the utmost effort to embrace and improve their eco-credentials.

Have you made the decision to do your part to be eco friendly and help the environment?

If so, even the smallest details of your life, such as decorating your home, probably have changed. You can no longer go to the store and purchase just any home décor products. The products that you choose must have a positive impact on the environment.

Listed below are 12 eco friendly alternatives to home décor products. Being eco friendly doesn’t mean that your home can’t be beautiful.

• Out with the silk flowers! Instead of buying costly silk flowers that will only collect dust, choose to use what nature has to offer. During the spring, fill you home with the beautiful scent and color of flowers from your garden. Wild flowers also make a beautiful addition to your home décor.
• Reuse what you already have. Instead of going out and buying home décor products, reuse what you already have. A can of paint can transform something that you thought you no longer liked into something that you love. And best of all, it will be eco friendly!
• Make the commitment to never buy new. To truly be eco friendly, you must first make the commitment to never buy new. Choose to frequent garage sales or use websites that offer second hand home décor products for very little money.
• Get crafty! An eco friendly alternative to home décor products is to make your own. Use things from nature to create beautiful, one of a kind home décor products. This will be fun and will help adorn your home for very little money.
• Know where to shop. It is important that you know where to find inexpensive home décor products that will be eco friendly and also fit into your budget. Choose products that are on sale and that are made of natural materials.
• Take advantage of Pinterest. Pinterest is a new website where people share creative ideas. Sign up to receive great ideas on how you can decorate your home using eco friendly home décor. Do you have a Pinterest account? If so start researching creative ideas today.
• Choose a natural look. An eco friendly alternative to expensive home décor is to choose a natural look. Choosing a natural look for your home will allow you to decorate with things that are in more of abundance.
• Repurposed pillows. Another eco friendly option for decorating your home is to repurpose your couch pillows. Once your pillows are out of date or no longer match you décor, get creative and repurpose them yourself. Find eco friendly fabric that will be durable and last a long time.
• Decorating with baskets. Baskets are also eco friendly home décor products that are inexpensive and can add a decorative touch to your home. Made of natural materials, you can never have too many decorative baskets. Baskets can hold flowers, magazines, and even hair bows!
• Consider how it is made. When purchasing home décor products, don’t make a purchase until you consider how it is made. Choose products that will express your love for the earth, that will be friendly to you budget, and that will match the rest of your décor.
• Mosaic touches are beautiful. Choose to create your own mosaics to add a beautiful, earth friendly touch to your home. These handmade home décor products are eco friendly and very inexpensive to make. You can make mosaics for your garden or for a kitchen countertop. This is an eco friendly idea that can be used throughout your entire home.
• Natural window coverings. Instead of choosing expensive window coverings that are made from harmful products, choose to leave your window bare. If you have neighbors and want something over your windows, choose bamboo blinds that are budget friendly and will be better for the earth.

When decorating your home, you can still stick to your eco friendly lifestyle. Use the tips above to help you find eco friendly alternatives to home décor products. Many of these tips will be easy on your budget and will also be good for the earth.

This article is contributed by Victor from Jute Rug Shop, an online store to buy eco-friendly bamboo mats, jute rugs and lot more.

It can be difficult to be green in every aspect of life, especially when you want to buy new furniture for your home. The most effective policy is to find a way of not replacing your existing furniture – unless of course, it’s about to fall apart. Instead, think about how you can keep what you have and be happy with it.

Wooden furniture may have got scratched or a bit battered through the years. If it’s real wood, you can restore it or renovate relatively simply. You’ll only need a few bits of equipment. Some wire wool can be gently applied over the entire top surface – this lifts out the scratches and will also remove any stains from ink or wine. Next, apply a mix of olive oil and vinegar with a soft cloth. The vinegar will clean the wood, removing ingrained dirt and grease. The oil helps replenish the wood and restore its shine (all wood dries out and loses its lustre over time).

With furnishings like a fabric sofa from Harveys for instance, there are different ways you can make them feel like new. The easiest way is to put a throw over the sofa, but if this feels too temporary, you could get the sofa recovered. This is often worthwhile if your sofa is well-made and would be expensive to replace. If you’re confident in using material, you can even do this yourself.

Examine the sofa to see how the material is attached (usually the joins are underneath or at the back). Remove it carefully and take photos to remind you of the sequence. Choose a replacement fabric and buy more than enough to allow for mistake cuts and overlaps.

Use the old cover as a template and cut out all new sections with an inch to spare around each piece. Fit the new pieces in reverse order. A staple gun is the best way to fix the material in place. Attach one side and then stretch the material before stapling the other side. Then do the same at each end. Repeat this for each piece of material. It should be wrinkle-free, but leave a little room for the material to give.

It should be pretty straightforward, and if you don’t like the result, you’ll only have wasted the material costs, and you can always replace it with a new sofa. At least you will have tried to be green.

This post was contributed by Celia Roche on behalf of http://www.harveysfurniture.co.uk/

Solar panels are being installed as a long term future investment by smart house owners despite its initial cost. No doubt, this may be quite a pocket drainer to begin with but with the passage of time, you will have greater financial benefits to make up for the investment. Solar panel will not only be a value investment but will add to the improvement in green living value of your home.

The solar panels will again be very effective if you live in an area that receives maximum sunlight. Solar panels are also safe as they do not emit any greenhouse gases. There are specific areas in which solar panels can prove very beneficial for the users.

1. Reduces the cost of your electricity bills

As long as your solar panels are in direct sunlight, you will have ample energy for household utility needs. The excess energy from the solar panel is directly fed into the power system which in itself will mean less consumption of actual electricity power. This means that your electricity bill will be much lower than before you installed the solar panel. As you will be using solar power on good sunny days, there will be less need to utilize the net meter provider. Solar panels are renewable resources as long as the sun shines.

2. Solar panel reduces carbon footprints and are silent

Solar power is not noisy except for a gentle hum when the transformer from the solar panel converts DC into AC for the home provider. Unlike a generator which is run on oil, the solar panel does not emit any gaseous carbon footprints and does not harm the ecosystem through oil dregs or spills. There are no moving parts in solar panels which make it for easy maintenance once installed.

Solar cells have the capacity to last a lifetime without dying out. Since energy is from the sun and is free, the solar panels will keep generating energy whenever the sun shines.

3. An attractive value for your home

When you have a house which has fixed electric bill it will naturally be more appealing for anyone to live in. Any potential buyer will consider the possibility of lower electricity bills and value of using energy harnessed by the solar panels. The added feature of solar panels whether on your rooftop or elsewhere is therefore bound to increase in its demand value. Having a warranty of more than 20 years of life expectancy or even longer and with so little or negligible maintenance, it adds to the desirability and sale value of your home. When a household has lower utility bills, there can be ample savings which will naturally cover the initial cost of installation.

There is no doubt that with the installation of a solar panel in your home, you will not only enjoy peace of mind but greatly enhance the market value of your home, should you ever need to sell your house. Installing a solar panel which will not only give you energy but will cut on your expenses is ultimately a bonus in the long run. By reducing harmful emissions and utilizing natural resources, you will be promoting green living and contributing towards a healthy environment for your community.

About the author: Alia Haley is a blogger by profession. She loves writing on technology and autos. Beside this she is fond of cars and fancy dresses. Recently an article on New Android Apps attracted her attention. These days she is busy in writing an article on Kitchen garden.

Well, if you’ve had your sofa for any amount of time the probable answer is that your sofa isn’t very green.

The worst component on a sofa for not being green is the filling used to make sofa cushions. The vast majority are filled with polyurethane foam – which is a petrol-based product. So, for a start, that’s not very environmentally friendly as it’s a fossil fuel of which we only have a finite supply.

Added to this, it’s also highly flammable, so most sofa cushions are coated with flame retardants that are made with toxic chemicals. These used to be PBDEs (polybrominated diphenyl ethers), but these are gradually being phased out because of their toxicity. In Europe PBDEs have been banned since 2004, and they are also being phased out in the US.

Studies have shown that PBDEs are found in house dust and indoor air, and that the contamination is greater in homes than in the air outside. The probability is that PBDEs migrate into the household air from the furniture. In lab tests, animals exposed to PBDEs showed memory and learning deficits, and PBDEs have also been linked to thyroid defects. In short, PBDEs aren’t good news.

The trouble is that polyurethane foam is the cheapest option for sofa cushions, so when you buy cheap furniture that’s what will be inside any soft furnishings. To make a greener choice, you have to spend more, particularly with fabric sofas. A better environmental option for sofa cushions is to opt for natural latex foam filled cushions.

Natural latex is sourced from rubber trees and has the added bonus of being mould and mildew resistant, as well as repelling house dust mites, so it’s great for allergy sufferers. You will have to pay more for it though, as rubber trees are relatively scarce.

This article was contributed by Celia Roche on behalf of http://www.harveysfurniture.co.uk/

When people want to go green and to have a feng shui design in their house, they need to know several tips on how to build a Eco-friendly house with feng shui. Most homeowners do not think of feng shui when they are designing their home, since it is often difficult to redesign the layout of their homes. Homeowners can adopt several easy feng shui tips to build an Eco-friendly home.

Many homeowners decorate their homes with vases, candles, and pictures. The first tip homeowners need to do, is to add live plants throughout their home. People place large plants around the house, and then have several potted plants inside their home. Another way to incorporate live plants in the house is to grow aloe and herbs in the kitchen. Buy plants from local gardeners, to reduce the carbon footprint of shipping exotic plants to the home.

Homeowners who have Eco-friendly houses with feng shui allow natural sunlight to come through their windows. This increases the energy throughout the home, and the light will flow through the house. This is a great way to reduce energy costs, since the lights will not be on as often.

Another tip to keep in mind when building an Eco-friendly house is to remove furniture and other items that you do not like. This will hurt the positive energy flow throughout the house when there are items that people do not like. People who have an ugly couch or table should recycle them, or donate them to local charities. This will help keep items out of landfills, and helping the community at the same time. Bamboo furniture is environmentally friendly, and lasts a long time.

Another way to build an Eco-friendly house with feng shui is to reduce the amount of electronics throughout the house. People should get rid of the television in their bedrooms, and only have one in the living room. This will create a peaceful atmosphere when people are getting ready for bed.

Having electronics plugged into the outlet will keep a positive energy flow through to the electronics. People who are not using televisions, computers, coffee makers, and other items should unplug them when not in use. This will reduce homeowners’ utility bills, and save the fossil fuels in the environment.

When building a new home, it is important to get rid of everything that you have not used in a year or more. This will help create a positive energy flow throughout the home on moving day. People who want to remodel their current homes should host a yard sale to get rid of items that is disrupting the feng shui throughout the house. The items stay out of the landfills, and the money helps to buy sustainable and environmentally friendly furniture
for the house.

This post was contributed by Michael Schnippering. Michael is the founder of Feng Shui at Work. He is committed to the true art and science of Feng Shui. Over the years his Feng Shui practice has taken him to various parts of the United States, Germany, France, Spain, Colombia and Argentina. If you’d like to learn more about Feng Shui, read Michael’ blog and follow him on Twitter @fengshuiatwork