Green Living: Checklist for Creating an Eco-Friendly Bathroom
Introducing changes into your living space can sometimes be scary and hard, but it’s all going to be worth the effort when you start noticing the positive effect these changes make on your life. Turning to eco-friendly ideas is something we all need to do in order to make our planet healthier and more suitable for the generations that come after us, so try mixing these two ideas into one and explore the possibilities of sustainable and environmentally-aware home renovations. One of the spaces you can start with is the bathroom – being so small and easy to maintain, you should test your renovating and decorating skills here, and if you notice you’re good at it, you can begin turning your entire home green. Here are a couple of things you should do to introduce some eco-friendliness into your bathroom.
No-VOC paint
Making sure your bathroom is at the highest level when it comes to health and hygiene is of the utmost importance, and the best way to do so is by avoiding VOC paint. This sort of paint is full of dangerous compounds that can seriously harm your health and put you in danger, especially if you have small children. That’s why you need to choose the safest and most eco-friendly paint when you’re repainting your bathroom and minimize the threats as much as you can.
LED lights
Every bathroom needs to be illuminated properly, whether you use it for applying your makeup or shaving your face in the morning. However, if you’re thinking about installing new lighting, go a step further and think about doing that in an eco-friendly way and get some LED light bulbs. Yes, these cost more at the beginning, but are going to pay off significantly in the next couple of years – or even a decade! Luckily, there are lots of models you can choose from and you’ll probably be able to find the bulbs that suit every member of your family equally.
Low-flush toilets
These toilets look just like your regular old toilet you’ve been using for years, but they come with one major difference – they use less water than their competition! As opposed to about six to nine liters of water any traditional toilet uses every time you flush it, these low-flush toilets use less than five liters, which means they’re between 20% and 30% more effective than any other kind. That also means your bathroom is going to be the greenest one in the neighborhood, especially if you equip it with a new low-flow faucet in your bathtub.
Extra special bathtub
Speaking of bathtubs, you do know you can’t just install any model in a recently remodeled bathroom that’s strongly aiming towards eco-friendliness, don’t you? Finding those special new showerheads that consume less water might seem hard but don’t worry, it’s all going to be worth it in the long run – however, a new bathtub is even better. After all, bathtubs offer more comfort, which is why lots of people are considering getting those small stone bathtubs that use a perfect amount of water and make you feel like you’re on top of the world every time you step out of them.
New plants
Although most people think you’re supposed to place your plants and flowers in your living room or bedroom, keeping them in your bathroom could easily be the best idea you’ve had in a while! Don’t forget that plants positively influence the level of oxygen in a room, but also make it nicer, more serene and definitely more visually appealing. All you need to do is find a couple of plants that love humid areas and grow particularly well in bathrooms – bamboo, Chinese evergreen and dieffenbachia are just some of the ideas you might want to explore – and you’ll create a greener space in no time.
Trying to live a green lifestyle is never easy and you have to work really hard to make a difference, but if you’re not afraid to think outside the box, you’ll surely find a couple of ways to do something good. Use your bathroom as a test drive, and if you’re happy with the results, apply the same eco-friendly approach to other parts of your home.
About the Author: Cooper Klein is an entrepreneur with a degree in Marketing. He’s interested in real estate and home decor. In order to spend more time with his family, Cooper decided to take a break, and he’s currently working from home as a blogger for SmoothDecorator and several other sites. You can find him on Facebook and Twitter.