1. Personal Care Products This is the first and easiest place to start greening your bathroom. Most of us use and store all kinds of personal products in our bathrooms such as shampoo, toothpaste, soap, toilet paper, cosmetics, the list goes on. Take a look at the ingredients lists on your products. Do you understand the ingredients? Do those ingredients come from natural sources? Is the product biodegradable and the packaging recyclable? If you answered “no” to any of the questions, it’s time to make a change.
Products that are petroleum-based, products that contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and products and packaging that emit phthalates either in manufacturing or in end-use are all harmful to your health and harmful to the environment. Fortunately, giving up on chemicals does not mean giving up on your favorite supplies. Look for products with plant-derived ingredients that are disclosed and discussed on the label. Many personal care companies are providing healthy alternatives to skin and hair care such as Burt’s Bees, Jason Natural Cosmetics, Aubrey Organics, Priti nail care, and many more.

Of course, not all of our personal care products contain such ingredients, per se, but should be considered for their impact on the environment in other ways. Items such as tissues, toilet paper, razors, toothbrushes, and menstrual products all potentially affect our forest industry, landfills, and waste water. Paper products such as tissue and toilet paper should be composed of 100% recycled paper. Disposable toothbrushes and razors should use recycled materials and/or be recyclable. Menstrual products should either be washable or biodegradable and chemical-free.

2. Bathroom Linens What could be better than a luxurious organic cotton bath sheet? If you choose to update your towels and washcloths, go organic. Organic cotton is not only better for the environment, it’s safer for your skin. Hemp is another eco-friendly option for linens and shower curtains. It’s naturally resistant to mildew, very absorbent, and durable. Bamboo is a popular choice as an eco-friendly fiber for towels, bathmats, and shower curtains. It also contains mildew-resistant properties and is a fast growing renewable resource. Look for organic bamboo fibers. Finally, when shopping for a shower curtain avoid vinyl-based plastics which emit phthalates (making that “new plastic” smell). Instead consider buying a cloth curtain (such as cotton, hemp, or bamboo) that can be washed as needed.

3. Fixtures, Faucets, and Plumbing So now that you’ve greened the products you use in your bathroom, how about taking it a step further? The fixtures and plumbing in your bathroom use electricity, possibly gas, and water. To lessen your environmental impact, you’ll want to save water and energy in every way possible. Lighting fixtures that can accommodate compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs are preferable to fixtures that only take high-wattage halogen or incandescent bulbs.

Your toilet should use no more than 1.6 gallons per flush and should be checked regularly for leaks. Plumbing companies are coming up with a variety of technologies to save even more water, including dual-flush toilets and waterless toilets and urinals.

Low flowshower heads and faucets will prevent excess water usage. Water heaters should be set at a comfortable, but not scalding temperature. If you are a doing a bathroom remodel and the bathroom is not located near your water heater, consider installing a tankless water heater right in the bathroom. Water is warmed almost instantly, saving water and energy. Always attend to leaky faucets to prevent wasted water; which in addition to the waste can cost you substantial amounts of money.

Be sure to turn off lights and fans after use. If you find it hard for household members to remember this, you can install a wall timer to turn off your lights or fan after you’ve finished.

4. Walls, Ceilings, Floors, and Counters A fresh coat of paint can lock in particles that may otherwise flake into dust that you breathe (for instance, lead paint can flake-off older walls, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can off-gas from recently painted walls) and can provide mildew resistance in a humid room. No longer do you have to anticipate a process rife with chemicals and odors. There are many environmentally friendly products to liven up your walls and ceilings.

If you like the look and ease of latex paint, choose a no-VOC latex (which are mixable into almost any shade you desire) specifically for bathrooms. If you want to use an old-fashioned technique, try making milk paint which is both biodegradable and non-toxic. (This option will require that you shower or bathe in another bathroom for a few days while the paint dries.) If you’d like to add some texture to your walls, consider natural plasters made from lime, gypsum, clay, and other naturally occurring ingredients. Finally, you could be bold and use an earth-friendly wallpaper or cork-based paper that is vinyl-free. Look for paper backings and clay-based adhesives.

Many people like the look and feel of tile in bathroom flooring and tub or shower surrounds. Most tile is fairly low-impact when it comes to the environment because it is made with naturally occurring clays. However, to be sure you are doing your part for the planet, you can also consider recycled tile products. Recycled glass tiles come in many colors and shapes and are great for walls and tub or shower surrounds, too. Glass tiles have become all the rage and once you see the options, I think you’ll understand why. You can find recycled ceramic tile as well. Be sure, however, to avoid installing a tub surround made with vinyl, which emits harmful phthalates.

Tile is also a great option for flooring. Or, if you prefer to have hardwood floors installed, be sure you are using Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified wood and environmentally-friendly low or no-VOC finishes. You may also want to consider cork or linoleum flooring options. And most of us prefer to step out of the shower onto a softer surface. Bath mats add to the decor and comfort of your bathroom. Organic fibers are excellent options of for your bathmat as is cork.

For a bathroom in need of a new countertop, along with tile options, you have many recycled counter top options. You will find counter tops made from recycled ingredients such as glass, stone, paper, wood pulp, aluminum, and more.

The sheer number of options for greening your bathroom may seem daunting, but keep in mind that every little change helps make you and the earth healthier.

This entry was posted on Saturday, September 20th, 2008 at 12:19 pm and is filed under Going green, Green living. Tags: Aubrey Organics, bathroom use electricity, chemical, chemicals, energy, Forest Stewardship Council, friendly products, Jason Natural Cosmetics, latex paint, menstrual products, off-gas, on chemicals, paint, paint dries, paper products, personal products, personal-care products, recycled tile products, try making milk paint, vinyl-based plastics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.