Looking to boost your home's value? Want to create a healthier indoor environment that goes beyond houseplants? You want to greenovate your house, but where to start?
From worn carpeting to ceilings covered in lead-based paint, a poorly insulated attic to a leaky basement, there are plenty of places to begin greenovating your home. But the first step is making sure that the materials you plan to use are sustainable and eco-friendly. Bamboo, cork, recycled paper, reclaimed wood and low-VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) paint are all great choices for greenovations, and there are many more.
To get started, check out this comprehensive list of resources for environmentally friendly floors, kitchens, lighting and more. Also try Ecolect, which claims to be the largest, freely accessible sustainable materials library in the world. Before buying, do your research regarding the price of the product and measure it against projected savings from green benefits such as energy efficiency. Often, an eco-friendly product will proudly bear information regarding its sustainability and energy saving capabilities.
If you can't find the information you need, ask a salesperson or look the product up online before making a commitment. There are plenty of earth-friendly products for every renovation that cost about the same (and sometimes less) than traditional materials, making this first step of researching your product choices an important one when going green.
