Make Your House a Green House

Make Your House a Green House with Elementals....

Elementals can be found at www.elementalsholisticliving.co.uk we offer a range of products and services designed to help us stay in balance with the natural world.

We are based in Scotland and stock a small but growing range of eco-products designed to help consumers consider the full lifecycle of the products they purchase. We supply eco-friendly paint, fair trade products, reclaimed products, eco-crafts and hope to branch out into a wider range of fabrics and household products next year.

One of our services is advice & training in Holistic Interior Design - a different way of looking at how we live and work within the buildings we occupy.

Most interiors take their inspiration from the fashion industry and focus on the creation of an investment or ‘image' rather than a nurturing and healthy interior living space. The effects on the occupants and the wider environment are generally not considered.

Modern lifestyles mean that the majority of us now spend in excess of 90% of our lives in an artificial environment, whether it's at home, our workplace, school or commuting by car or bus.

Interior environments contain a wide variety of products derived from the petro-chemical industry including carpets, wall-coverings, fabrics, vinyl paints, etc. These products can affect our health as toxins are ‘off-gassed' into the air causing symptoms such as asthma, breathing problems and migraines and they also have an impact on the health of the environment. Significant resources are used in the production of these products and they are mostly non-degradable e.g. once disposed of they don't break down easily and can take hundreds of years to do so.

Sofas and bed linen often contain chemicals such as Formaldehyde, Brominated Fire Retardants (BFR's), and endocrine disruptors which can affect the pituitary & thyroid glands, the immune system, respiratory system and liver. Children's clothing has been found to contain phthalates (hormone disruptors) and the increase in the use of electronic equipment in the home and office has further increased our exposure to BFR's as well as increasing our consumption of energy and levels of waste. Interior refurbishments also have an effect on the environment and can take their toll on landfill sites as items are replaced with more fashionable alternatives before their lifecycle has ended.

Although we have less control over our workplace, we can ensure that our home provides a safe, creative and happy environment for our families and that our choices respect the environment.

Natural flooring such as linoleum, cork or waxing old timber floors allows your house to breathe and can create a beautiful, natural effect when combined with sisal or coir matting. Eco-friendly paints for walls and varnishes and waxes for floors are now readily available in a wide range of colours and are much more pleasant to use and to live with.

Kitchen units can be refurbished instead of replaced and ceramic tiles can make an excellent alternative to a laminate worktop. Second-hand furniture is a good environmental choice and can be creatively refurbished with a little imagination.

Hemp is one of the most versatile and environmentally friendly materials available and hemp fabrics range from a fine 'silk' quality through to rough, textured canvas - you can even purchase a hemp alternative to MDF!!!. Natural linens and cottons are easily accessible, although slightly less eco-friendly, and wool is an excellent material, especially if it's organic, as it has flame resistant properties and can be spun, knitted or felted as well as taking natural plant dyes easily.

Indoor plants can be used to help absorb air-borne pollutants and are believed to be particularly good at absorbing formaldehyde.

Seeking out Fairly Traded household items also insures a fair price for suppliers and some fair trade groups will have made a commitment to protect the environment. A wide range of products are currently available from beautiful throws and cushion covers to vases, woven baskets, candles, incense, soaps, etc.

Here are some tips for greening your home...

  • Look for natural alternatives to man-made materials.
  • Going organic means you reduce the number of chemicals, antibiotics and hormones that you and the environment are exposed to.
  • Ask about the environmental performance, Fair Trade credentials and countries of origin.of the products you buy.
  • Try alternative cleaning products - old favourites such as lemon juice, soda crystals, baking soda and vinegar can easily replace modern household cleaning products.
  • Be more energy efficient and avoid unnecessary electrical gadgets. - install energy efficient light bulbs, don't use ‘Stand-by' settings and look out for alternative energy products.
  • Get creative - try refurbishment rather than replacement.
  • Seek out antique and second-hand furniture rather than modern self assembly items - they can often be better quality, cheaper and a lot more interesting!
  • Make space for nature - grow a few pots of herbs on a window ledge or if you have a balcony or garden Install a pond or bug, bat or hedgehog box if you have the space to encourage wildlife.
  • Most importantly, do something - small changes are better than nothing at all.