William asks…
Eco-Friendly Childrens Bed – no harsh chemicals such as pvc pp mfd and others. Is This Bed Safe for children?
I would like to purchase this bed for my child soon… http://www.cymaxstores.com/Common/NoBot/Captains-Bed-with-12-Drawers-and-Stairs.htm
but I have recently read blogs and articles about how some furniture and toys have harmful effects on children and use very dangerous and harmful chemicals to make them… for instance formaldehyde in particle board well here’s 1 website that i read my information from: http://www.lhc.org.uk/members/pubs/factsht/46fact.htm… im just a little confused on this can anyone educated on this matter please help me out ive seen other beds on eco sites that ive considered buying but this one just catches my eye because of the storage possibilities: http://www.cymaxstores.com/Common/NoBot/Captains-Bed-with-12-Drawers-and-Stairs.htm thank you for your time and please no negative responses please
what about metal beds/bunkbeds? ive considered a futon bunk bed but the futon “mattress” looks uncomfortable. and i really like the stairs on the bed. also my child is fairly young i want a bed that my child can grow into… so it can be either a twin or full size.
Thank you “anoldstar” for your comment but i was hopeing someone would tell me if it was safe as far as the wood and laminate…..
The Expert answers:
Here’s more info on solid wood beds that might help…good prices, too. Also some info on natural mattresses…Hope that helps
Lizzie asks…
Do you know about furniture materials?
i am in the process of designing a bed for a child. i need to have a eco friendly material and i don’t want it to look like wood. i want it to be a gloss white but i don’t necessarily want to paint it. it has to be about 3cm thick and cost is no issue. does anyone know what material i should use? i need a name of the material so that i can further research it.
The Expert answers:
The only products that would meet those specifications would be plastics like HDPE (which are about as NON-ecofriendly as you can get since they are made of petroleum), white glass or natural polished marble (which would cost a fortune and be terribly cold and hard materials to make a child’s bed from.) You could use recycled plastic but any I know about are not gloss white since they are made up of a mix of used materials. That would be one option you could look for — see if anyone has a pure white recycled plastic product that comes in sheet stock. I would suggest contacting a company that specializes in kitchen counter tops, laminates and custom cabinets and tell them your specifications. Countertop stock is usually 1 to 1.5 inches (close to your 3 cm) but it can be cut and shaped and comes in a variety of widths and lengths.
Here’s a link I found to one such product with sheet sizes and prices — as you can see it is NOT pure white but perhaps other manufacturers might have a version that is. HDPE (high density polyethylene) is relatively easy to saw, drill and cut. It is what those white plastic kitchen cutting boards are made of.
Http://www.naturalbuilthome.com/products/362-recycled_plastic
IMHO the best materials for a child’s bed would be organic products like wood, bamboo or wicker with a non-toxic natural oiled finish, not paint. They’re warm to the touch, easy to work with, can be produced sustainably, are biodegradeable and last forever if cared for well. The tiny wooden crib my great grandfather made for my mother 84 years ago is now being used by one of my cousin’s grandkids. We figured it has been used by over 50 babies in our “clan” after being passed from family to family. I slept in it myself until I was 12 months old.
Donna asks…
Starting to go “Green”- what products should I start with- how do I start being “Green”?
I am really really trying to “go green” and be more environmentally friendly. How should I start doing this? I recycle, I walk everywhere possible, I compost, I use cloth chopping bags and cloth diapers, all natural biodegradeable cleaning supplies… what next? How do I take my “being green” to the next level?
ALSO can you tell me your fave green eco friendly products? I want to try to slowly replace everything in our home with eco friendly alternatives. What products should I start with? AND how can I “be green” ON A TIGHT TIGHT budget? (Single mom with 2 kiddos!!)…
ANY tips and suggestions on how to be green on a tight frugal budget would be really appreciated!
PS- I’m looking into eco friendly furniture to replace some of the crappy stuff we have now!
The Expert answers:
Try planting some of your own vegetables, or even just herbs, and try saving water; for example: try putting a bucket in the shower to catch warm up water, or under the downspout outside when it rains; you can store this in barrels until you need it for watering your plants, unplug your TV at night or during the day when not in use for long periods of time, and most easily you can switch your lightbulbs to CFLs if you haven’t already (if you buy them in bulk, they cost less, but make sure they have the energy star label on them).
Also check out this web site (Care2.com) for really great ways to be more earth friendly and healthy from homemade cleaning supplies to natural pest control, it is a treasure trove that I frequently seek advice from.
Good luck!
Susan asks…
Ways to build a totally green home?
In the future, I’m determined to build a completely environmentally friendly house, and besides these, are there any other ways to build it ‘green’?
Using non-toxic non-VOC paints and finishes
Using sustainable harvested, FSC certified hardwood, or bamboo
Using recycled materials, like recycled plastic bottle carpeting
Using non-VOC glues and adhesives
Buying eco–friendly furniture and decorations, or buying furniture and decorations that will last a long time, so they don’t have to be reproduced
Using energy-efficient lighting
Installing Energy Star rated appliances
Maximizing natural lighting
Using native plants, and drought resistant landscaping (zeroscaping)
Planting native trees
Recycling
Reusing waste in order to create compost
Using a recycled or eco–friendly insulation, such as denim or soy
Any others that I missed?
The Expert answers:
The house is built utilizing natures natural materials, Woodburning stoves, solar chimney, solar AC, solar heating, solar water heating (pool and home), solar stove, solar power, wind power, hydrogen powered back up generator, hydrogen back up water heater, hydrogen stove, 2 hydrogen powered trucks, 1 EV (electric vehicle) and satellite internet.
To see some pics of the ranch
www agua-lun com
We also built many small cabins on the ranch that we offer to family, friends and our on-site off-grid workshop guests, including one straw bale, one papercrete, earth bag and adobe, one cob and cordwood, one underground and rammed earth, one log and post and beam and one rock.
I later wrote a several guides on how to build with alternative materials, alternative energy / fuels using alternative methods for next to nothing. Anyone interested can check it out at..
Www agua-lun com
As we have no bills, no mortgage and no taxes ..we have little use for money (any extra money saved up usually goes towards vacations as we enjoy traveling to Mexico).
If you’d like more info on how you can make the transition easily, let me know.
Hope this helped, feel free to contact me personally if you have any questions if you’d like assistance in making your first self sufficient steps, I’m willing to walk you step by step threw the process. I’ve written several how-to DIY guides available at www agua-luna com on the subject. I also offer online and on-site workshops, seminars and internships to help others help the environment.
Dan Martin
Alterative Energy / Sustainable Consultant, Living 100% on Alternative & Author of How One Simple Yet Incredibly Powerful Resource Is Transforming The Lives of Regular People From All Over The World… Instantly Elevating Their Income & Lowering Their Debt, While Saving The Environment by Using FREE ENERGY… All With Just One Click of A Mouse…For more info Visit:
www AGUA-LUNA com
Stop Global Warming!!!
Donald asks…
What do you think of my future developments?
Now I live here in Hurghada in Egypt. I’m just a teenager but when I’m around 20 years old I might take control(General Manager) of my grandfathers hotel(15%). And I will be allowed to change anything with the hotel money so here’s my plans, of making the hotel at least 60% eco–friendly.
1. Change all the furniture to eco–friendly furniture.
2. Install solar panels on roof tops(as many as possible).
3. Rebuild the smaller building(between main building and the beach) change them to prefabricated buildings.
4. Replace the old desalination plant to a new one.(To not buy other water)
5. Forbid the usage of disposable cups and plates and not allow the usage of ice-cubes.
6. Make room electricity systems so that tourists won’t leave things like the air conditioner switched on.
7. Buy more local food, than international food.
8. Replace materials like uniforms, towels curtains, bed sheets……… with organic cotton ones.
Please tell me your opinion I want support cause I am one of the one who want to change the world starting with Hurghada.
The Expert answers:
These are all noble ideas. The most important thing that someone starting out can do is to consult with older people who are wise and successful. Bring this list to your grandfather, and also get a list of trusted experts that your grandfather recommends.
For example, #6 has the potential to save lots of energy, and therefore cost. Your grandfather may know what others are already doing in the industry, what has worked, what has failed. If you put a timer on the A/C, will people give your hotel a bad rating and not come back? What if you offered a room that is cheaper, but has only fans, would anyone take it? If you went with a motion sensor technology that turns off the A/C and lights after there is no motion for 20 minutes, is it reasonable to expect that people will move at some time during that period? Will people expect to sleep with the A/C on?
I think that the experts will recommend making only one change at a time, so that if something goes wrong, you can recover. The safety of the business is paramount – that’s something that an old, successful owner will understand.
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