Green at Home

• Bathroom
-Green Bathroom Items
1. Recycled, processed-chlorine-free toilet paper and tissues.
2. PVC-free shower curtain. Your cheapest alternative to conventional PVC curtains are polyethylene vinyl acetate (PEVA) liners, as durable as PVC without the hormone-disrupting, asthma-inducing phthalates. Or you can splurge on the eco gold standard, hemp, which also resists mildew.
3. Low-Flow showerhead.
4. Petrochemical-free personal care products. Read ingredients lists diligently and watch out for the chemicals listed in The Dirty Dozen Chemicals in Cosmetics.
5. Organic cotton bath linens. These can be pricey, but you can build your collection slowly.
6. CFL vanity bulbs. Repeated on-and-off use of compact fluorescent bulbs and the humidity of bathrooms will reduce their lifespans by a few months, but switching to CFLs still cuts energy use considerably.
7. Green Cleaners. If you don't want to make your own cleaners using baking soda (a non-abrasive scouring powder), vinegar (a natural disinfectant) and tea tree oil (an effective mildew killer), choose least-toxic alternatives.

• Bedroom Conventional blankets are often made from a blend of cotton and petroleum-based synthetic fabrics, such as polyester and nylon. As a crop, cotton is responsible for up to 25 percent of the insecticides used worldwide, even though it takes up a mere 3 percent of the world's farmland. Once the cotton goes through bleaching processes, which release carcinogenic dioxin into the atmosphere, manufacturers treat blankets with finishes and dyes, some of which can emit the probable human carcinogen formaldehyde. Fortunately, organic cotton alternatives seem to be cropping up everywhere we turn. No longer is it just for the wealthy or those greener than thou, as commercial retailers like Bed, Bath & Beyond, Pottery Barn and West Elm now offer their own certified organic cotton bedding, which is better for the planet and healthier for you. "You're not breathing in chemicals for over a third of your life, the estimated time you sleep in your bed," says Erin Johnson of ABC Carpet & Home. • Living Room In looking for furnishings, employ the same principles used when buying organic food: start by going toxin-free, avoiding polybrominated diphenyl ethers (flame retardants that can be harmful to developing brains) and resins and glues containing carcinogenic formaldehyde and other neurotoxic, volatile organic compounds. And wherever possible, try to buy local. It's wonderful what you can find right in your own region—or parents' attic. • Kitchen Concrete, a mixture of cement, sand, gravel and water, is the chic, new green decorating material. Concrete flooring may conjure images of the garage, but in your home it can be elegant, cost-efficient and green. It provides a low-maintenance, smooth surface that won't offgas unhealthy volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or collect allergens. With the help of low-VOC sealants and polishes, concrete floors keep a water-resistant, attractive shine. They can also be tinted, patterned or even stamped to look like natural stone or tile.

"Green" concrete should contain at least 20 percent flyash, a waste product from coal-burning power plants; its production results in less CO2 pollution. Concrete also can be mixed with blast-furnace slag, cinders or recycled crushed concrete, giving your contractor more eco-friendly options. Under direct sunlight, concrete acts as a "thermal mass," absorbing heat and radiating it later, keeping indoor temperatures constant while outdoors the mercury rises and falls. It also holds warmth well from radiant heating systems installed beneath the floor. • Laundry Room Suggestions for a Lighter Load 1. Greener Laundry Detergent Laundry detergents without problematic chemicals. Opt for "fragrance free" alternatives where available, as even essential oil fragrances can irritate sensitive skin. 2. DIY Detergent Concoctions 3. Chlorine-free Bleach 4. Efficient Washer/Dryer 5. Outdoor "Dryers" Abundant Earth's drying racks are made with wood scraps and new wood from second-growth, not old-growth, forests 6. Natural Fiber Baskets Choose non-synthetic, petroleum-free laundry baskets and bags.

• Whole House Green building advocates admit that installing some green products, such as Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified wood from well-managed forests, can cost up to 10 percent more. The Environmental Home Center in Seattle has received so many questions about cost that it has responded with a green-budget brochure (see Resources). But Derek Long, of Sustainable Connections in Bellingham, Washington, which promotes local green building, notes, "Very often you will find that a number of 'green' features for a home have a strong financial payback over time that makes them right for anyone with any budget." Long points to groups like Habitat for Humanity, which helps its low-income clients by installing efficient appliances and lighting and super-insulating homes that are usually smaller and demand fewer resources to begin with.