Living sustainability is straightforward and simple, according to Laurie Furber from Elise Green. "It's about trying to create as little impact as you can with every decision you make," says Laurie. "Little things can make a big difference."
She should know: in 2011 she and her husband founded Elsie Green (formally Greenhouse Design Studio) to answer the question, "How do I know what I'm really putting in my home?" Everything in their collection is sustainable in some way: vintage, artisan made or made from sustainable materials. Here, Laurie shares four easy steps that will have you moving in the right, earthy friendly, direction, just in time for Earth Day.
Lay down a good layer of basics in your home. Here are five things that no home should be without.
- Organic cotton sheets and towels (shown below) because organic cotton is made with no chemicals or pesticides and is very nice for those things you put next to your skin.
- Good cotton napkins so you’re not tempted to use paper.
- A stack of very durable glasses that you can use every day, and for entertaining. Bye-bye red Solo cup!
- Soy and beeswax candles with cotton wicks. They’re all natural and don’t put petroleum by-products into the air you breathe.
- Natural soap in all your dispensers. Obviously.
Give something old a new life in a new home.
We believe that not making something new is the greenest thing of all, and that provenance is a lovely thing. Next time you’re thinking about buying something new for your home, find a flea market close to you, or visit elsiegreen.com to find something pretty with a past.
Shop small.
When you’re ready to add something sustainable to your home, try visiting a local boutique rather than a big chain. Patronizing your local bookshop, potter’s studio, stationery store, or boutique is a great way to limit your impact, and find something unique and special. By shopping small, you’re supporting your local community and the people in it, and you’re supporting a smaller distribution network. Visit the 3/50 project to find small, local businesses in your area.
Complete the circle.
When you’re ready to retire an item in your home to replace it with something greener, be sure to dispose of it properly. Visit iRecycle or donate to a local charity so your sofa/chair/china can continue its useful life in a new home.
That wasn't so hard now, was it?
