Renewable & Sustainable Products

Along with increased levels of environmental awareness and concern among consumers, a wide array of more environmentally friendly products using renewable and sustainable materials has appeared on the market. From the bathroom to the garden and your car, a number of eco-friendly options exist to reduce your environmental impact and create a safer and greener home.

Household Products

• Generally, reducing the environmental impact of your home requires reducing the amount and toxicity of the waste produced. With cleaning supplies or body soaps, for instance, consider using one of the many nontoxic products available for cleaning and disinfection. Whenever possible, household items like vinegar and baking soda can even be used instead of harsh chemicals. Your furniture choices should also take environmental impact into account, favoring sustainably harvested woods and building supplies with minimal chemical treatment or painting to reduce product impact and even improve indoor air quality in your home. Finally, whenever possible, use -- and reuse -- household items like paper and plastic made from 100 percent post-consumer waste to encourage recycling and reduce your own waste stream.

Gardening Products

• A sustainable, renewable garden combines local species with minimal external pesticide and chemical use. To avoid the threat of invasive species from other ecosystems that can fundamentally change local dynamics if they are introduced, plant only species local to your area. These species will also require less care than exotic plants as they are already adapted to the conditions. A number of organic fertilizers and pesticides are available in the market to keep dangerous chemicals from contaminating your garden and the water supply. You can also implement household solutions like a compost heap and organic practices like the use of garlic as a pesticide to further reduce your impact.

Electronics and Automotive

• Electronics and machinery have become a daily part of modern life, and many devices have a very high environmental impact. Informed consumer decisions, however, can at least reduce the impact of these devices and make your home, as a whole, more sustainable. Efficiency is perhaps the most important consideration when purchasing electronics and machinery. Make sure you are considering electronics and automotive models that make the most efficient use of resources like electricity and fuel. Many countries have comprehensive rating systems for electrical device and machinery efficiency that should serve as a good guide. Lastly, you should also consider the chemical composition of the electronics you are buying. Avoid devices that contain hazardous chemicals like mercury or cadmium in batteries or screens whenever possible.

Building Supplies

• Beyond the contents of your home, the materials in your home's walls are also a critical indicator of sustainability. With regard to home construction, two variables are extremely important: renewability and environmental performance. In terms of performance, favor products that reduce overall energy use. For instance, renewable insulation techniques like straw-bail and adobe finishing serve to regulate the temperature of your home and keep you from using other resources to heat or cool it. Moreover, the elements you use to build and maintain your home should also be renewable in themselves, like natural paints and sealants made from sustainable sources that do not threaten the environment at large or the indoor air quality in your home.