Skip to content

Top Navigation

Real Simple Logo Real Simple Logo
  • Food
  • Home
  • Life
  • Health
  • Money
  • Style and Beauty
  • Holidays & Entertaining
  • News
  • Shop

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • My Account
  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Free Organizing App this link opens in a new tab
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Real Simple

Real Simple Logo Real Simple Logo
  • Explore

    Explore

    • 7 Best Places to Buy Vegetable Seeds Online

      Because there's never been a better time to start a vegetable garden. Read More Next
    • 7 Must-Read Books by Black Authors

      Grab a cup of your favorite beverage and prepare to dive into a new title. Read More Next
    • A Guide for How to Measure Your Ring Size at Home

      There are three common ways you canĀ measureĀ your ring size right at home so you can finally get your ring measurement right, for good. Read More Next
  • Food

    Food

    See All Food

    9 Cheeses You Can Eat Even If You're Lactose Intolerant

    Not all dairy is created equal.Ā 
    • Recipes
    • Real Simple Cooking School
    • Cooking Tips & Techniques
    • Shopping and Storing
    • Kitchen Tools and Products
  • Home

    Home

    See All Home

    Easy Homemade Carpet Cleaners to Tackle Every Stain

    Made with products you probably have on hand
    • Organizing
    • Cleaning
    • Decorating
    • Gardening
    • Home Improvement
    • Quick Fix
    • Real Simple Home
  • Life

    Life

    See All Life

    10 Captivating Podcasts for the True Crime-Obsessed

    If you’re hungry for stories of true crime, download any of these podcasts to get your mystery fix on the move.
    • Family
    • Entertainment
    • Technology
    • Wedding Planning
    • Travel Ideas
    • Adulting
    • Get It Done
    • Waste Less, Live Better
  • Health

    Health

    See All Health

    30 Healthiest Foods to Eat Every Day

    • Preventive Health
    • Mental Health
    • Health Coach
    • Crisis Coping
    • Fitness & Exercise
    • Sleep
    • Healthy Eating
  • Money

    Money

    See All Money

    11 Small Ways You Can Help Stimulate the Economy

    Your dollars may be worth more than you realize.
    • Money Confidential Podcast
    • Saving Money
    • Money Made Simple
    • Spending
    • Money Etiquette
  • Style and Beauty

    Style and Beauty

    See All Style and Beauty
    • Clothing
    • Skincare
    • Shoes
    • Hair
    • Clothing Care
    • Makeup
  • Holidays & Entertaining

    Holidays & Entertaining

    See All Holidays & Entertaining

    PowerPoint Parties Are the Socially Distant Party Trend You Have to Try: Here’s How to Host One

    Presenting a new way to party together—virtually.
    • All Holidays
    • Easter
    • Gifts
    • Mother’s Day
    • Passover
    • Entertaining
    • Father’s Day
    • Home for the Holidays
    • Come Together
    • Hanukkah
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas
    • Valentine’s Day
  • News
  • Shop

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Account

Account

  • My Account
  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Free Organizing App this link opens in a new tab
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Real Simple
  2. Home Organizing
  3. Green Living
  4. How To Make Every Room In Your Home More Eco-Friendly

How To Make Every Room In Your Home More Eco-Friendly

By Kendell Cronstrom
Updated June 24, 2018
Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.
Skip gallery slides
Save FB Tweet
Credit: Luca Trovato
Energy-saving changes that will lower your bills and prove that you can live green without sacrificing style or comfort.
Start Slideshow

1 of 6

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Eco-Sensitive Improvements

Credit: Luca Trovato

After buying a roomy, character-filled duplex four years ago, Jessica Jensen, 36, and her husband, Jason Pelletier, 37, set about making several eco-sensitive improvements and were stunned by the lack of information on sustainable products and strategies for conserving energy and water. Their curiosity soon grew into a calling, and by 2006 they had quit their marketing and consulting jobs and launched Lowimpactliving.com, a site that helps consumers make greener choices.

One might assume that Pelletier and Jensen lead a granola-and-Birkenstocks life, but their home proves that livability and sophistication doesn't need to be compromised in the name of an eco-conscious abode. Read on for a room-by-room look at the changes they’ve made thus far.

1 of 6

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 6

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Living Room Changes

Credit: Luca Trovato

Insulation
To make their house more energy-efficient, Pelletier and Jensen insulated the attic with GreenFiber Cocoon (from 25 cents a square foot, greenfiber.com for dealers), a product created mostly from shredded recycled newspaper that has been treated with borate, a natural fire retardant. Because it can be blown through small holes that are drilled into walls, GreenFiber Cocoon "is a great choice for reinsulating an existing house," says Jason Pelletier.

Sofa and Bench 
The couple prefer gently used furniture, but they're also fond of new pieces from Cisco Home (prices vary, ciscobrothers.com for locations). All Cisco Home products utilize nontoxic natural glues, organic fabrics, latex foam, wool batting, and renewable woods certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, an international agency that creates forest-management guidelines. "My big beef with green furniture makers," says Jessica Jensen, "is that their stuff is über-modern―you have to settle for a plain-looking plank most of the time. I love the fact that Cisco Home spans both modern and traditional."

Rug 
Woven with jute fibers and handmade in Southern India, this Fair Trade Certified product will make you feel good about your purchase (Jute Boucle Rug, $179; westelm.com).

Fireplace Logs 
Made from recycled coffee grounds, Java-Logs ($16 for 6 logs; lowes.com) "burn cleaner than wood, producing less creosote (tar) and carbon monoxide," says Pelletier. "It's a good, crackly flame, and it lasts for three hours," adds Jensen.

2 of 6

3 of 6

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Kitchen Changes

Credit: Luca Trovato

Paint
All interior walls in the house have been covered with paints low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are harmful chemicals found in many paints and stains (prices vary, bioshieldpaint.com).

Dishwasher and Refrigerator
The dishwasher, which meets Energy Star standards, came with the house. Jessica Jensen and Jason Pelletier found their refrigerator by surfing energystar.gov, where "you can research models by manufacturer," says Jensen. The couple air-dry their clothes on a drying rack in the little room off the kitchen. "We rarely use our clothes dryer," says Jensen. "Clothes dryers are horribly inefficient, and Energy Star doesn't rate them. If I have something that takes forever to dry, like a huge quilt, I will put it in the dryer on the lowest heat possible or the air setting."

Composting Pail
Pelletier and Jensen put all their organic food scraps, such as banana peels and eggshells, into a perforated metal composting pail (amazon.com), which is tucked into a corner of the countertop. They periodically move the contents to a larger composting bin in the backyard, then use the rich compost on their plants and trees. The couple also use compostable trash bags called BioBags (biobagusa.com for retailers); made of corn by-products, they look just like plastic trash bags and, under the right conditions, can "biodegrade in about three months," says Jensen, "whereas plastic takes a long time to break down, if at all. Between composting and recycling, we generate only half a bag of trash―trash that goes to a landfill―a week."

Water Aerator
A barely visible standard faucet attachment (energyfederation.org for vendors) pumps air into the water, so users don't need to run the tap at full blast.

3 of 6

Advertisement

4 of 6

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Dining Room Changes

Credit: Luca Trovato

Place Settings
The table settings feature Jessica Jensen's grandmother's flatware; Kwytza Kraft Bao place mats, made from recycled chopsticks (find similar products at buygreen.com); and organic hemp napkins.

Bar
A repurposed secretary serves as a bar. Jensen stripped the piece of furniture with EcoSolve HomeStrip, which, she says, "is water-based and free of noxious fumes" (prices vary, ecosolveamericas.com for stores).

Table
The solidly built oak dining table was a score from Wertz Brothers (prices vary, wertzbrothers.com), a 77-year-old shop in Los Angeles that stocks "used furniture of extremely high quality," says Jensen, "so we don't have to go from yard sale to yard sale. Buying used furniture is the best way to go. Anything we can do to stop tree-felling is a bonus."

4 of 6

5 of 6

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Bedroom Changes

Credit: Luca Trovato

Ceiling Fan
On the middle of the bedroom's ceiling, the couple have installed a fan that helps them save on their heating bills. "Most people don't use ceiling fans in the winter," says Jessica Jensen, "but they should, because hot air rises. So if you run the fan in reverse at a low speed, it will help circulate the hot air."

Curtain Panels
Inexpensive cotton thermal drapes (find similar products at gaiam.com) "leverage solar heat by blocking it in the summer and catching it in the winter," says Jensen. "In the summer, you shut your drapes when you go to work in the morning, then open them in the evening. And in the winter you do the opposite. They're great if you have a room with drafty windows and don't want to replace them."

Bedding
The duvet cover and the Orange pillowcases from Loop (looporganic.com) are made from organic cotton that has been treated with nontoxic, water-based dyes. "Organic cotton is free of synthetic chemicals and is therefore not harmful to the environment," says Jensen.

5 of 6

6 of 6

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Bathroom Changes

Credit: Lucas Allen

Fixtures
A recirculating water pump, installed under the sink, delivers hot water instantly, so there's no waiting around when you turn on the tap (gothotwater.com). "It saves three to five gallons of water every time we use it," says Jason Pelletier. The couple also have a low-flow toilet, which "uses only 1.6 gallons of water per flush," says Jessica Jensen. The aerating shower head by Delta Fluidics ($22, amazon.com) "saves about 2,500 gallons of water per person per year," she adds. "You use less water, but the pressure stays the same. It's better pressure than our old shower head, actually, and I'm very picky about my shower."

Bath Towels
These plush cotton towels from Target ($60 for the set; target.com), are made from organic cotton.

Bath Products
Jensen favors soaps and lotions by Pangea Organics and Avalon Organics (prices vary, pangeaorganics.com and avalonorganics.com), which are free of synthetic fragrances and feature plant-based materials approved by the European Union Cosmetics Directive, an agency that has banned more than 1,100 ingredients suspected of causing cancer and other illnesses.

Soap Dish
The recycled-glass soap dish ($8, target.com) will freshen up your bathroom decor instantly. Available in multiple colors. 

6 of 6

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Kendell Cronstrom

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook
Trending Videos
Advertisement
Skip slide summaries

Everything in This Slideshow

Advertisement

View All

1 of 6 Eco-Sensitive Improvements
2 of 6 Living Room Changes
3 of 6 Kitchen Changes
4 of 6 Dining Room Changes
5 of 6 Bedroom Changes
6 of 6 Bathroom Changes

Share options

Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Login

Shop | Real Simple Logo

  • Indoor Plants
  • Drying Racks
  • Smart Thermostats
  • Air Purifiers
  • Lighting
  • Terrariums
  • Herb Gardens
  • Vegetable Plants
  • Fruit Plants & Seeds
  • Watering Cans
  • Shop More Next

Real Simple may receive compensation when you click through and purchase from links contained on this website.

Real Simple Logo

Magazines & More

Learn More

  • About Us
  • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Media Kit
  • Content Licensing
  • Sitemap

Connect

Follow Us
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Other Meredith Sites

Other Meredith Sites

  • 4 Your Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Allrecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • All People Quilt this link opens in a new tab
  • Better Homes & Gardens this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Insights this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Surveys this link opens in a new tab
  • Cooking Light this link opens in a new tab
  • Daily Paws this link opens in a new tab
  • EatingWell this link opens in a new tab
  • Eat This, Not That this link opens in a new tab
  • Entertainment Weekly this link opens in a new tab
  • Food & Wine this link opens in a new tab
  • Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Hello Giggles this link opens in a new tab
  • Instyle this link opens in a new tab
  • Martha Stewart this link opens in a new tab
  • Midwest Living this link opens in a new tab
  • More this link opens in a new tab
  • MyRecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • MyWedding this link opens in a new tab
  • My Food and Family this link opens in a new tab
  • MyLife this link opens in a new tab
  • Parenting this link opens in a new tab
  • Parents this link opens in a new tab
  • People this link opens in a new tab
  • People en EspaƱol this link opens in a new tab
  • Rachael Ray Magazine this link opens in a new tab
  • Ser Padres this link opens in a new tab
  • Shape this link opens in a new tab
  • Siempre Mujer this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living this link opens in a new tab
  • SwearBy this link opens in a new tab
  • Travel & Leisure this link opens in a new tab
All products and services featured are selected by our editors. Real Simple may receive compensation for some links to products and services in this email on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Real Simple is part of the Meredith Home Group. © Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporationthis link opens in a new tab. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
© Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.realsimple.com

View image

How To Make Every Room In Your Home More Eco-Friendly
this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.