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Issue Date: April 22, 2008
Advice for a green healthful bedroom
These ideas will make your bedroom a more restful, healthful place -- and you can use the info throughout your home.
It's somehow easier to sleep well knowing that the place in which you're snoozing isn't harming the Earth -- or your family. Many of the following ideas can be applied to any room in your house, so you can sleep easy wherever you catch some ZZZs.
Use bulbs that emit light, not heat.
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Use efficient lighting.
Lighting is responsible for a sizeable chunk of all the energy used in the United States, partially because of the air conditioning needed to counteract the heat coming from bulbs. (A more apt name for light bulbs would be "heat bulbs": Approximately 90% of the energy used by a bulb is given off as heat. The remaining 10% comes out as actual light.) The best thing you can do, says the Rocky Mountain Institute: Replace halogen bulbs in floor lamps with compact fluorescent ones. That change alone lowers the temperature of the light from 970 degrees to 104.
Carpet squares are easily replaced.
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Stick to squares.
Flor makes environmentally friendly carpet "tiles." "And if one square of your carpet gets soiled, you can replace it easily, unlike with regular wall-to-wall carpet," says green lifestyle blogger Celia Canfield. "The tiles come in all kinds of colors, so you become the designer. It's like creating art on your floor."
Choose energy-smart window treatments.
Because a single-pane window can lose 20 times as much heat as a well-insulated wall, a tight-fitting shade can make a world of difference. To improve energy efficiency, Cornell University Cooperative Extension recommends using side tracks for a tight fit, about an inch from the window. And look for a shade with reflective material that faces the glass and one with a high R value (marked on packages), which means it's a good insulator.
Sleep on a chemical-free mattress.
Mattresses can contain potentially harmful chemicals and flame retardants that studies have linked to neurological problems in children. Known as PDBEs, these flame retardants are used in foam furniture products found around the house. However, more companies are offering PDBE-free mattresses. For a list, go on the Web to the Environmental Working Group's site at www.ewg.org/pbdefree.
Heat from the ground up.
If you're renovating, consider adding radiant floor heating. "Dust and dirt get recirculated with forced air," says Willem Maas, founder and publisher of GreenHomeGuide.com. "But with radiant heat, there's no air being blown around to do that." That's because electric or water-filled coils infuse the floor surface with heat, which rises into the room, creating a nice, even warmth. Plus, no more jarringly cold floors to greet you as you step out of bed.
There are low-VOC paints, but zero-VOC is better.
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Use zero-VOC paints.
VOCs are volatile organic compounds, and they have been linked with everything from nausea to kidney, liver and central nervous system damage. There are low-VOC paints on the market, but why not take it a step further with zero-VOC paints? "It's good to use low-VOC paint," says Eric Corey Freed, author of "Green Building & Remodeling for Dummies" and principal at the firm Organic Architect, "but you have to be careful because you never know how low 'low' is. Instead, look for zero-VOC paints."
TY's Take: Focus on the things that are close to your body. There are sheets made from bamboo that are quite wonderful. They're soft and luxurious, and they're made froma renewable resource.
BONUS TIP from Jennifer Berman, director of Women's Wellness Center: "All couples, not just green ones, need to take theTV out of the bedroom. It not only kills the sleeping environment, but also your sex life," says Jennifer R. Berman, M.D., director of the Berman Women's Wellness Center (bermansexualhealth.com) in Beverly Hills, Calif.
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