Natural and Sustainable

Greening your bathroom is easier than you think. Even if you rent, there are things you can do to green your bathroom that cost little to no money and you will even get your deposit back. Some landlords will even let you do improvements to the place and will deduct what you do or spend from your rent or even add that to your deposit when you move out. Check with your landlord or lease holder before you do anything though.

Here are some quick things you can do today to your bathroom to make it more greener:

• A beautiful pieces of custom glass evokes for a whimsical outhouse feel on your bathroom door.

• Remove an existing window and install an exterior wood door that access the patio or a already existing balcony.

• To go the extra eco-mile, look for doors that are salvaged from old buildings or built from sustainability forested wood. Try Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore for salvaged building materials

• To save bathroom space, place shelves and a niche in the shower. Glass enclosure helps give the illusion of a larger space if you are dealing with a small bathroom. A Solatube skylight adds natural light. A rimless shower glass, natural stone, a water-resistant mahogany cabinet and a wall-mounted faucet create an easy-to-clean environment.

• The bathroom can be resurfaced as well. American Clay earth plaster is a great choice. Nontoxic and practical, earth plaster can be mixed on site and applied over existing walls. Earth plaster has the softest, most beautiful colors, especially under natural light. The plaster “breathes” and is table in a high-humidity environment, such as the bathroom.

• The wall and floor can be compromised as well. The wall tiles can be replaced or installed with natural stone. The floor tiles can be natural stone, and you can even add pencil accent tiles that are made of porcelain. These tiles mean easy cleaning if you choose to go this route.

• The shower floors can be replaced with natural tiles as well or finished with natural, honed river rock. A good place to start can be your choice of rock from DuraTile. They are sustainable, chemical-free webbing and good slip resist.

• Mahogany cabinets can replace your particle-board or water-ruined existing ones. Mahogany cabinet, because the tropical wood is water resistant-ideal for a humid bathroom. Be sure and purchase the mahogany from a company that gets their supply from a sustain ably managed forest and they are certified through the Forest Stewardship Council as well.

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: Use vinegar to clean windows, walls, floors and counters-it’s environmentally safe for not only the earth buy also your health and your family, pets, and company’s health as well.