5 Ways to Fight Waste in Your Home Design or Home Remodel
Construction & demolition waste accounts for over 25% of all waste in the US, and 30% of that waste ends up in landfills. To make matters worse, this waste is often toxic, comprising waste like plaster and insulation.
There are many ways you can fight waste as you are planning and executing your eco conscious home design project. Each project will be different,however working with experienced green interior designers can inform you of your options from the outset.
Repurpose and Refinish Furniture
Instead of buying new furniture and discarding old furniture, consider keeping old furniture and refinishing it or repurposing it. A dresser or cabinet that has been sitting in a living room or bedroom could work just as well in a bathroom or hallway. Sanding, refinishing and painting old furniture can help to bring out the features of unique pieces that have been gathering dust. Consider replacing fixtures in the bathroom and kitchen rather than discarding the bath or sink.
Donate, Reuse or Sell
If you are discarding old furniture, fixtures, or materials, sell, exchange or donate what you can’t use. You can sell old furniture, donate it to Goodwill or Habitat for Humanity, or pass it on through local second-hand marketplaces. You can also find beautiful pieces through local exchanges and thrifting. If you require new materials to build furniture, cabinets, or install flooring, consider using recycled, locally sourced materials such as reclaimed wood. You can sell or donate old appliances and sell or donate scrap metal. Check out your local recycling authority’s website for tips on recycling, upcycling and reusing.
Use Sustainable Materials
Your commitment to limiting waste should also span the life-cycle of the building or project. This means using sustainable, compostable and recyclable materials, such as wood, natural insulation materials and cruelty-free, non-toxic, plant based upholstery in furnishings.
Use Waste Products Creatively
Waste created by your construction or remodel project can be channeled back into your project in creative ways. Broken tiles can be used to create mosaics, discarded construction materials could be used to lay outdoor paving such as paths, patio spaces, edging for flower beds and raised beds.
Dispose of Hazardous Waste Responsibly and Use Non-Toxic Materials if Possible
Construction products often create hazardous waste. It’s important to be responsible about how you discard this waste. You can often find information about how to discard waste responsibly by contacting local waste authorities or checking their websites. When it comes to materials like paint, you can source non-toxic, cruelty free paints. Always buy less paint than you think you need, rather than wasting paint. If you have leftover paint, you can donate it to family, friends or neighbors who could use it in a project or you could use it in a future interior decoration project.
Green Interior Design Waste Consultation
At Earth Science Design, our green interior design consultants and home remodel consultants bring ten years of research into the science of green interior design and eco conscious design to our consultations. This allows us to help our clients to find efficient solutions that are cruelty-free and waste minimizing. If minimizing the impact of your project on the environment seems unattainable, it could be because you don’t have the information to do a full impact assessment. Every low impact home design or home building project can be optimized by following principles of upcycling, sustainability and recycling. In applying these principles and more, many possibilities are revealed than might have been obvious at first. Our green interior design consultants can connect you with resources and suppliers to support your project. We support people with their projects nationally and internationally. We have offices in San Diego, CA, Bozeman, MT, Brooklyn, NYC and Paris, France, and can consult with you in person or remotely. Please contact us to learn more about our low impact home design consultation services.
