INDOOR AIR QUALITY

Consider products and materials that eliminate or significantly reduce the use of toxic chemicals in your home. A good rule of thumb is that if it's healthier for you in your home, it's healthier for the environment too. Two good general guidelines:

• Avoid products that emit Volatile Organic Compounds
• Avoid products that contain formaldehyde—a suspected carcinogen

How do you know it's really green?
For Indoor Air Quality, look for third party product certifications like Greenguard, an industry-independent, nonprofit organization that oversees the Greenguard Certification Program to help improve indoor air quality and establish healthy standards. The program certifies products that are tested to meet its rigorous standards.

THE LAZY ENVIRONMENTALIST RECOMMENDATIONS:

Paint
Benjamin Moore's Eco Spec® line of paint products (Greenguard certified). Available in thousands of colors.

Bedding
Lifekind is the first mattress maker in the United States to receive Greenguard certification for its mattresses, certifying that they meet rigorous low-VOC emissions standards. The extensive catalog features organic mattresses, mattress pads, pillow shams, blankets, throws, and more.

Cleaning Products
Method's nontoxic, biodegradable cleaning products look as good as they act, and smell good too. The all-purpose and specialty surface cleaners, dishwashing, and laundry detergents, air fresheners, and hand and body washes are packaged in stylish bottles designed by Khalid Rashid. So cool looking you'll want to display on the counter instead of inside it.

Non-Wood Flooring
Transform your rooms with modular tiles from Interface FLOR that are available in a multitude of colors and present nearly infinite design possibilities. The low-VOC tiles are made of wool, hemp, or nylon, with backings made of recycled materials.

More Eco-Friendly Home Essentials

Creating an Eco-Home
The Materials
Energy and Water Consumed

View Josh Dorfman video on Eco-Friendly Homes