So what is green furniture? This kind of furniture has at least one of the following characteristics.

Sustainable – green furniture should be made from raw materials that come sustainable sources. These include man-made forests that are reforested regularly so as not to strip the natural resources.

Recycled – some furniture can be made from recycled materials such as plastics and metals. Instead of using newly made materials, recycled materials will lessen the strain on the environment and usually come cheaply as well.

Low toxicity – you might not know it but some products have high levels of toxic materials. Green furniture, on the other hand, is made of materials that have low levels of toxic elements.

Durable – green furniture should last you a long time. This implies that you will be using your furniture for at least a year (or even more!). Naturally, this means that you will not be buying new furniture as often. Another point is that repair should always be an option.

Local – green furniture is produced locally. Shipping over long distances increases the carbon footprint of products. If your furniture is produced or obtained locally, the carbon footprint is decreased.

The next time you buy furniture, you might want to consider these things.

Welcome to Yurto, the blog about eco-friendly living in the home. Inspired by the yurt, an ancient circular dwelling place built in tune with nature, we hope to explore the ways we can all make a change for the better in the world that we live in – beginning from our homes.

Why is it so important to go green? Al Gore, who woke up the world with his now-famous documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, puts it succinctly:

“…Some of the leading scientists are now saying we may have as little as 10 years before we cross a kind of point of no return, beyond which it’s much more difficult to save the habitability of the planet in the future…”

10 years??? Now that’s a scary thought.  If you have children like me, that’s enough reason to stop procrastinating and do something about NOW.

So from plastic to canvas, wasting to conserving,  lets find ways to care for the earth while we can and live healthier, happier lives.