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As global changes affecting our environment call out for us to take action, defending Mother Earth isn’t simply about hybrid cars, sustainable farming, organic foods, and eco-friendly packaging. Green consciousness is expanding into our homes, so if the new year has prompted a resolution for greener living, then your home is a great place to start. There’s no better time to consider making healthy changes around the house, as the marketplace is currently surging with environmentally responsible new products. For instance, when insulating walls, no longer are we limited to just one option of toxic fiberglass insulation; new choices include recycled 100-percent cotton denim. Yes, your home can now wear jeans. In fact, the annual U.S. market in green building products and services has grown from more than $7 billion in 2005 to nearly $12 billion in 2007.

What is Green Design?“
Sustainable design takes into consideration the health of people and the environment. It’s complicated, but it’s a synergy of three concepts: health, energy efficiency, and material resources,” explains Maggie Wood, founder and principal of Maggie Wood Design in Jameport. Her passion for elegant design and commitment to sustainable principles has led her to focus solely on green design. “As we face pollutants in our environment, we are now able to select green materials for our home,” she says.

To begin, one needs a “home audit,” which focuses on different areas of living. There’s an “energy audit” that identifies places in your home you need to address regarding energy savings, whether it’s adding more insulation or weather stripping, or simple solutions such as replacing your thermostat. In addition, an “indoor air analysis” is recommended to specifically search for mold spores. You can purchase a professional test kit, which costs upwards of $1,000, and do it yourself by taking air samples. Or, consider hiring a Green Home Audit Consultant to address the indoor air, water quality, furnishings, furniture, beddings, and paints in your home. “It is a holistic approach to living,” says Wood, who is a LEED Accredited Professional and member of the U.S. Green Building Council.

Easy Ways to Eliminate Toxins
Eliminating exposure to toxins in your home is the most important aspect to be addressed when creating a green living environment. This begins with an analysis, and then addressing the most detrimental toxins first. “The longer something has been in your home, the less likely it is emitting chemicals into the air,” says Wood. Without feeling you have to dispose of or replace everything all at once, it can be done in stages. This is something you can plan ahead for, taking six months to a year or more depending on your budget.

“Splurging on an organic mattress would be a great place to start, since you spend so much of your time in bed,” says Wood, who has been at the forefront of the green design movement for several years. It can be expensive—an organic mattress may cost around $2,000—though it should last for 30 years. “People will spend at least this much on a vacation—think of it as a green vacation for your home,” Wood elaborates.

Installing a water-purification system, which should run $200 to $300, is another initial change that will provide an immediate healthful benefit for you and your family. Wood also suggests replacing conventional lightbulbs with CFLs (compact fluorescent lightbulbs), repainting walls with no-VOC (volatile organic compound) finishes, replacing heavy drapes with cotton curtains or non-vinyl blinds, and reupholstering furniture, substituting down for foam. Additionally, Wood recommends eliminating air fresheners and artificially scented candles, opting for beeswax candles with a soy base, “because the beeswax purifies the air.”

Other easy fixes include:

• Replacing teflon pans with stainless steel.
• Disposing of chemical-based personal-care products (such as baby powder, makeup, soap, shampoo, etc.) and household cleaning products and repurchasing items made only from natural, biodegradable ingredients.
• Changing your vinyl shower curtain to cotton, nylon, hemp, or linen, since vinyl releases chemicals into the air that you routinely inhale when taking a hot shower.
• Eliminating plastic containers for food as well as water bottles.
• Replacing synthetic carpet and rugs (which are highly treated with anti-stain chemicals and formaldehyde) with organic wool rugs. 
• If repainting your walls, look for paints without VOCs, as conventional paints and stains contain a toxic polyurethane sealer. This is especially important for pregnant women and households with infants or young children. 
• Looking for down-filled upholstered furnishings, and non-treated fabrics (for instance, IKEA uses foam without toxic flame-retardants, Scotch Guard, or Stain Master chemicals for their furniture and mattresses). 
• Using paper-backed wallcovering instead of vinyl wallpaper.
• Washing new bed linens and towels several times before use, since new, unwashed cotton is most often treated with conventional formaldehyde. Preferably, choose organic cotton sheets where the cotton is grown pesticide-free and minimally processed.

Responsible Renovating
If you need renovations to your home, you can use your own designer or architect, but request they use eco-friendly alternatives to toxic materials. “They don’t need to know about green building, but they need to be open to it, and you should bring on a green consultant with expert qualifications of more than a few years,” Wood advises. She recommends the unbiased online publication Green Home Guide for consultant listings, as well as word-of-mouth referrals.

Small Steps Count
Don’t be overwhelmed,” Wood points out. “You should know it’s simple enough to do it from room to room. Go through each room systematically and ask yourself three questions: What can I get rid of today and replace? What can I re-purpose and keep by repainting or reupholstering? What do I need to buy new (large items such as furnishings, mattresses, or flooring, as well as household supplies)?  

The main benefit of green living is you’ll feel better. “It’s like a breath of fresh air,” Wood remarks. “When they green their home, people usually want to include other aspects of their life like their diet. It’s a trickle-down effect. People may live on a little bit less when they’re going green—but in a good way. Especially with children . . . you’re definitely protecting their health down the road.” On a larger scale, creating a less toxic living space will benefit the environment at large.

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