A lot of changes are happening to our precious planet Earth right now in the face of global warming. Energy seems to get more and more expensive, and households are starting to think not only about high-efficiency of their homes but more about green living as well. Eco-friendly lifestyle is becoming the next big thing. And it’s not only the usual energy-saving light bulbs, tank-less water heaters and solar panels; everything is done with style nowadays.
The desire for beauty is involved in the green lifestyle as well. Stylish furniture and counters made out of recycled materials is just one side of it. There are the so-called green design materials now, and among them there are trendy ones.
Bamboo
If you think for a second, the wood that people use for flooring is not a quickly renewable material. A century is what it takes for a forest to grow again, no exaggeration. Deforestation is a standing problem.
As for bamboo, it grows really fast – eight times faster than hardwood. It’s a very renewable material not only because of its speed of growth. When a bamboo is cut down, the plant is still alive and regrows.
Bamboo is a great green option for the making of flooring when you are moving to a new place. It is comparable to hardwood as far as stability and hardness goes. Surprisingly, it doesn’t dent easily as well. Also, counter tops cabinets, furniture and even rugs can be made of bamboo.
Concrete
Concrete has some pretty envious qualities – it’s sturdy, doesn’t require a lot of maintenance, and it can withstand elements and time. Nowadays it’s not only used for building a house, but it has also become part of the home interior in the form of artistically made flooring and counter tops.
Some don’t consider concrete a green construction material. When it is produced, lots of CO2 is released. However, there are companies that try to reduce this bad influence by producing such types of cement that are not so harmful for the environment. This green concrete is a lot more expensive though.
On the other hand, concrete is very energy-efficient, which will lead to less electricity consumption. It doesn’t contain toxic chemicals that would evaporate from it. For its production fly ash is used, which is a by-product of burning coal, meaning that it wouldn’t go to waste.
Cork
Who can believe that cork would turn out to become a staple material for interior design? There are floors made of cork. Actually, a floor can be made entirely out of recycled wine stoppers. Such floors are produced to be very sturdy. They almost resemble hardwood. As cork is impermeable to water, doesn’t contain formaldehyde or PVC binders, it would be the go-to option for flooring.
As for the greenness of cork, know that it comes from the bark of living cork oak. After the extraction procedure, the tree is left alive, so this is a highly renewable material. It can also be used for kitchen counter tops since it is antimicrobial.
So, if a home improvement awaits you, you might as well do it the green way and with a sense of style and move to your dream house.