Wednesday, May 18, 2011

How to Create an Eco-Friendly Baby Nursery


How to Get the Room Ready

  1. Paint the walls of the nursery with environmentally friendly paint that doesn’t release poisonous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air. Look for VOC-free paint made from all-natural ingredients such as mineral pigments, beeswax, plant oils, crushed limestone, soy resins and buttermilk.
    *Sherwin-Williams Paint

  2. Choose hardwood floors made from sustainably managed forests [FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified wood] and finish them with a nontoxic or natural sealant. Llinoleum flooring is also great flooring. Linoleum however does requires adhesives to install so be certain to use only formaldehyde-free adhesives. Wall-to-wall carpeting (even if it is eco-friendly) isn’t ideal because they trap mold, dust mites, and other allergens.
    *Eco Friendly Flooring

  3. To brighten up floors, select nontoxic carpets and area rugs made from natural, untreated fibers such as wool, organic cotton, hemp and jute. Their synthetic (and nonbiodegradable) counterparts can harbor up to 120 toxic and carcinogenic chemicals.
    *Potterybarn Kids

  4. Pick a baby mattress made with wool casings or organic cotton filling. Regular mattresses contain harmful and potentially cancer-causing fire retardants such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), in addition to equally suspect stain- and moisture-resistant chemicals.
    *Savvy Baby™ by Savvy Rest Organic Mattresses

  5. Rest your baby’s head on pillows that are stuffed with natural stuffing such as kapok, buckwheat hulls, untreated wool, organic cotton or synthetic-free latex.
    *Lifekind Organic Pillows

  6. Dress the crib with organic all-cotton bedding. Conventional cotton is one of the most heavily pesticide-sprayed crops in the world and the chemicals could irritate your baby’s sensitive skin.
    *Baby & Kids – Restoration Hardware

  7. Avoid furniture made with plywood, particle board, and medium-density fiberboard (MDF) because they often contain formaldehyde in their glues. Used furniture more than a few years old, however, is likely to have released all its harmful chemical fumes by the time it’s ready for baby, so those are fine (and affordable) options next to buying furniture made from solid wood, wicker or rattan.
    *Baby Earth – Eco-friendly furniture, clothes, toys, gear, products

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