Fuel consumption is ever increasing while fossil fuels are being depleted. We really need to take the bull by its horns and figure out a way to make our precious resources last longer. There are many things you can do in your life to cut back on your carbon footprint and greening your bathroom is an eays first step to take.
The bathroom is one of the smallest and most used rooms in the house. Therefore, if we start our ecological projects in here, the more we can help lighten the load on the environment. Mold and bacteria can grow rapidly in the bathroom. One of the things you can do is to spray your shower down with a natural mold fighting spray after each use. Mix water with white vinegar, tea tree oil or lavender essential oil. For a cleanser you can use baking soda. Either sprinkle it in the tub or sink or mix with water for a paste or a soft scrubbing cleanser. Also, when you crack a window or use an exhaust fan, the less likely it will be for the mold and mildew to grow.
Wall products to use to help green the room include latex or milk paint and earth-friendly wallpaper or cork based wallpaper that when combined with a clay-based adhesive save a several natural resources. If you would like to add texture to your walls, then plaster from lime, gypsum and clay may be the way to go. While working on the walls and ceiling, don’t forget the floors and shower curtain.
For the floor you can choose hardwood floors certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, bamboo mats, cork mats, clay tile or glass tile. Bamboo and cork are two of the most prolific renewable sources around. Both grow extremely fast with bamboo replenishing itself within days of harvest. Clay and glass are renewable and recyclable resources to use on your floors or walls. Shower curtains made of vinyl use an exorbitant amount of resources, while emitting gas. If you change to natural cotton or hemp you can have the same effect with a lot less carbon footprints.
Fixtures and appliances can be cut back on, too. Changing your lighting can also help the environment. If you replace all your incandescent and halogen lighting systems with CLF (compact fluorescent) bulbs. Changing out your traditional toilet for a duel-flush, waterless or low flow toilets can help retain more useable water for the planet. Tankless water heaters and standard water heaters turned to a lower comfortable setting rather than hot can save electricity and water both. Low flow showerheads and faucets can also be found. With all these plumbing fixtures exchanged you can save from 30-50% on your water bills.
With the bathroom taken care of, let’s not forget about the humans that will be using that room. There are several items out there for use as personal care products that will save the planet even more. Recycled toilet paper, toothbrushes and razors are better for the environment. Oil, shea or cocoa butter are natural moisturizers. Use replaceable heads or recycled plastic for your toothbrush. Replace heads on your razors rather than using disposables. Eco-friendly toothpaste, shampoo, conditioners and hair care products as well as makeup are out there for the taking.
As you make use of these ideas to green your bathroom, the more you will be able to save our precious resources. Less pollution and destruction will occur, and that can lead to nothing but good things.
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