Urban Blog

The words “eco-friendly” did not appear on too many peoples’ radar just a few years ago, but today the world is a very different place. Increased awareness regarding the dangerous of toxic chemicals and pollutants both for the world and people have helped to make eco-friendly a fixture in our society. As a result, eco-friendly products are now everywhere. That stated, it is important to remember that just because a product has earned an “eco-friendly” label doesn’t necessarily mean that it is people or animal friendly.

Just as “gluten free” doesn’t necessarily mean that a food is healthy. For example, there are many gluten free foods that are packed with chemicals, high levels of sodium and sugar, the same holds true for eco-friendly products.

In this article, we are going to explore a few eco-friendly home products that will keep you and your family healthy while at the same time looking out for the planet; after all, we only have one planet and it is imperative that we start taking the best care of it possible. Use these products and you can help take some of the stress off the planet.

Eco-Friendly Product One- Eco-Friendly Toilet Paper

Toilet paper is definitely not “sexy” but humans certainly use a lot of it. Of course, toilet paper comes from trees and it takes a lot, a whole lot of trees to handle our daily usage. The seemingly simple act of switching over to recycled, eco-friendly toilet paper will save not only trees, but water and energy as well. It takes all three, energy, water and trees to make toilet paper. In fact, a surprising amount of energy and water are used in the production of toilet paper.

The downside of eco-friendly toilet paper is that it can be considerably more expensive than “regular” toilet paper, however, buying eco-friendly toilet paper is a relatively easy way to reduce stress on the planet. By voting with your dollar, you are telling manufacturers that you want products that eco-friendly.

So while toilet paper might not seem like an area where one expects a lot of innovation, the simple fact is that toilet paper made from recycled toilet paper is, in fact, potentially one of the world’s most eco-friendly innovations.

Eco-Friendly Product Two- Eco-Friendly Bathroom and Kitchen Cleaning Products

The majority of the time most homeowners don’t need “super-tough” cleaning products. Soap and water usually does just fine for most household cleaning jobs.

The simple fact is that the massive household cleaning product industry has spent billions convincing us that our houses are so dirty that they need powerful, super rough and tough chemicals to obliterate household germs, but this isn’t the case. The average American home can be cleaned with soap, water and occasionally a mixture of water and vinegar or water and hydrogen peroxide for areas such as the toilet. Expensive cleaning products are not only harming your pocketbook but the health of the planet’s water supplies as well. If you feel that you need a cleaner in a bottle then opt for those that are made from all-natural ingredients instead of chemicals.

Eco-Friendly Product Three- Alternative Countertops

Kitchen countertops are heavy and require a great deal of energy to make. Selecting a beautiful material like marble is tempting, but it takes a tremendous amount of energy to make countertops from materials such as marble.

Mining, cutting and transporting a stone like marble takes a staggering amount of energy. This is, of course, the bad news. The good news is that there are alternatives that are both effective and durable.

Quite stunningly, one option is paper. While at first glance, a paper countertop might sound like a bad idea, it is important to remember that wood block countertops have been popular for years. In addition to wood block countertops, there is a new generation of wood based countertops that are made from sustainable forests. This new generation of wood based countertops have been engineered to be durable and long lasting.

Another countertop alternative is glass. A particularly great eco-friendly option comes in the form of recycled glass. Recycled glass countertops can be surprisingly tough and attractive.

Eco-Friendly Product Four- Eco-Friendly Paints

A large percentage of the paints on the market, while durable, are packed full of potentially harmful chemicals. Low-VOC paints have become popular in recent years, as many homeowners realized the dangers represented by VOCs.

While this is a step in the right direction, there are many eco-friendly paints on the market. Eco-friendly paint is both low or free in VOC and will not harm the planet. The next time you paint, consider choosing an eco-friendly option.

Eco-Friendly Product Five- Alternative Concrete Stains

Why stain your concrete floor? It can really enhance the look and feel of the floor, no matter if it’s at home or at the office. You can use different colors and even patterns. The color goes deep into the concrete and ends up being quite permanent.

Typical wood and concrete stains are mostly chemicals and petroleum based products. However, in recent years, as concrete stained floors gained in popularity, several companies have put a new spin on concrete floor staining. Non-toxic soy based concrete stains not only look great, but they are also very eco-friendly and will last for years.

Eco-Friendly Product Six- Bamboo Everything

Bamboo is a truly amazing product, especially for the home. Bamboo, which is technically a grass, grows at an impressive rate. It takes years for bamboo to begin growing above ground, but once it does start growing it can grow several feet per year!

As a result, bamboo is perfect for everything from flooring to furniture and more. Best of all, bamboo takes very little energy to grow, is comparatively easy to harvest and is most definitely renewable. In short, the more bamboo you can use in your house or next remodeling mission the better.

A lot of material goes into the creation of your home and its maintenance. Opting for eco-friendly products is the right move both for the planet and the humans that live on it. More and more, you’ll see innovative options becoming available.