These items are great for building or decorating your home the eco-friendly way.
BUILDING MATERIALS
Green home resources
Our click-and-go guide to earth-friendly materials
Eco-friendly kitchen counters
Five green solutions for kitchen updates, from recycled glass, aluminum, and paper to end-grain bamboo
Eco-friendly floors
Five green solutions for floors, from sustainable lumber, tile, and linoleum to cork
Nature's own flooring
Bamboo, cork, and linoleum are handsome, durable, and eco-friendly
Alternative to wood
MDF, a resource-friendly building material, is a good option for interiors
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| Rob D. Brodman |
| Retro Jet showhead by Rohl. |
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HOME ACCENTSLow flow, high style
The latest showerheads are eco-friendly and elegant
Easy eco table
Make a stylish side table from an inexpensive base and an eco-conscious top
Bamboo jungle
New accessories celebrate this distinctive, eco-friendly material
Stoplights
Bring onlookers to a halt in your kitchen or bath with colorful pendants made from discarded traffic lights. Available in three colors. 12-inch Go Green pendant by Greenlight Concepts ($275; 415/702-5655).
Tile art
It's hard to believe the striking wall accent pictured above was once window-manufacturing waste from Idaho's Treasure Valley. Custom color blends available in 36 colors. Mosaic blend tiles by Sandhill Industries ($20–$50 per square ft.; 208/345-6508).
Pretty pulls
Hardware made of 100 percent post-consumer glass from Seattle's Bedrock Industries brings sparkle to your drawers and cabinets. Assorted knobs and pulls by SpectraDécor ($34–$58; 800/550-1986). Vessel revival
Formerly wine and beer bottles, Artecnica’s tranSglass candleholders and vases make subtle, ethereal centerpieces. Artecnica candleholders and vases available from Fitzsu Society (323/655-1908).
Textured chaise
Made of reclaimed cork, the Cortiça Chaise Lounge from Branch ($4,988; 415/341-1824) is splurge-worthy. The lightweight lounger floats if it gets dropped in the pool.
BEYOND THE HOME
Biodegradable plates
The eco-conscious among us are phasing out "disposables" from our summer picnics. Try Branch's biodegradable plates, cups, and utensils; made of sugarcane fiber or potato starch and vegetable oil, they're surprisingly sturdier than standard Styrofoam and plastic tableware. From $7 for a pack of 50 12-oz. cups; www.branchhome.com or 415/341-1824.
How to reduce your impact on the environment
Find well-edited environmental information that helps you decide how to lower resource consumption and waste production based on your individual needs at Low Impact Living.
More eco-friendly ideas »
