The bamboo plants grow rapidly, even 4 to 5 feet per month, therefore they grow in very tall forests, and they are biodegradable. There are no contaminants added, and bamboo shades are processed in low emissions factories, so they are truly a “green” product. Add to that benefit their good looks, and they are a winner all around!

You will enjoy quiet contemplation as your eyes enjoy the beauty of bamboo shades. They are made by weaving sticks of natural bamboo into various patterns and styles. Privacy is provided, but with the interweaving, you can still have light enter the room, which highlights the patterns. If you want more privacy, you can order your window shades with a fabric lining. This helps you manage lighting but still allow light to enter the room. Room darkening blinds are also available, for complete privacy and light control.

A natural material, bamboo also looks wonderful when accented with room plants, and other natural decorations. Add a small water fountain, and you will have created your own tropical paradise right at home. The window shades can be a focal point in the room, or they can blend into the background, as you desire. They are a natural product, non-treated, and as such, will have interesting variations in color and patterns.

Most bamboo shades are in the horizontal style, but there are vertical ones available also. You can get roll up window shades, roll down shades, Roman shades (layered), and traditional matchstick styles. Patterns include braided, woven, tortoise shell, and wide slats. Their light-weight is an advantage when ordering through the internet to save on shipping expense.

Bamboo shades are available in many natural hues and some colors. They are easy to manage, and are controlled by a cord or continuous chain control system. Some even have motors to assist in balanced lifting. They are nice for newer neighborhoods where houses are large and lots are small, so you will obtain more privacy from close sitting neighbor homes. As a wood, the bamboo is also good for insulation effects, and heat control. You can get lower energy costs by keep hot sunshine out and winter heat in the room.

Vertical bamboo shades are nice for older homes, as they give them a more modern look, yet cover large old window spaces with style and protection. There is some noise control when they are completely shut. One nice benefit from this type of blind is that you can have privacy but still catch a meshed view of the outdoors. Window shades come with a top valance to cover the lift mechanisms.

EcoFriendly homeowners can choose bamboo shades for their natural beauty, and for their inherent contribution to earth friendliness. These shades are durable, to provide long lasting beauty with greater cost benefits in the long run. They are easy to clean, and with smooth surfaces, less dust is caught on the horizontal slats, and much less on verticals.

Bamboo shades are available in stock sizes and colors, or you can order custom sizes, lengths, designs, and colors. These excellent and hard working window shades look beautiful alone, or with added window shades and accessories. It is hard to go wrong with a product that is so right, and so environmentally beneficial. It is no wonder that the history and tradition of bamboo shades goes back for centuries.

Judith Persit works from her store in a design studio, which is planned beautifully. She writes articles about bamboo shades. Learn about window shades at her website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Judith_Persit

As obvious as that statement is, people still treat Earth like there is another one on the back burner. The ocean levels are rising, the ice caps are melting and our ozone layer is disintegrating; we’ve left more of a carbon footprint in the last hundred years than the rest of history combined! The good news, however, is that the word “green” is becoming more ingrained in our social consciousness.

Thanks to environmental activists and supporters, the word “green” has taken on a whole new definition. Any attitude concerning “global environmental protection, bioregionalism, social responsibility” is considered green. The term has become a buzzword of sorts; restaurants, business, and manufacturers brandish the label to appeal to our ever-concerned society.

Every day, people are finding new ways to become environmentally-friendly, even investing in green furniture. Decorating your house furniture made from recycled materials is not only fashionable, but it reduces our carbon footprint and preserves our planet for future generations.

Bamboo is a very good material for green furniture. Technically a grass, bamboo grows quickly, it’s sturdy and it looks good in almost every interior. Plus, furniture made from bamboo doesn’t require any deforestation. Because you can lay it flat for flooring, mold it into furniture, or even cut it up to make blinds and window shades, bamboo has become the go-to material for environmentalists. Plus, there are very few pesticides involved during its production.

Trees make our planet livable. By absorbing carbon dioxide and converting into oxygen, they produce breathable air, which is why deforestation causes such an outcry. However, there are tree farms dedicated to the sole purpose of producing wood products; these trees are certified sustainable. The Rainforest Alliance, one of the largest certifier of sustainable wood, uses the industry-standard Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification, which makes it easy determine safe wood. Some staunch environmentalists forget that no matter what something is made out of, there are earth-friendly options, even wood. It is very easy to find wood furniture made from sustainable trees, just look for the FSC label or inquire at your local furniture store.

The Rainforest Alliance also certifies any type of furniture made from recycled material: The Rediscovered Wood Certification. Sustainable forests are good sources of lumber, but wood lasts a long time, especially if it’s taken care of. Reclaiming wood from old furniture makes more sense than using precious land to grow sustainable wood. Using old furniture, houses, and even drift wood are good examples of how innovative people have been in creating green furniture.

Green furniture also releases fewer toxins than synthetics. Many people don’t even consider this, but nothing in your house just sits there; everything produces airborne substances. Toxins released from furniture have been traced to birth defects and other health problems. Make sure that any new furniture you purchase has the Greenguard certification, which ensures the product has low toxicity.

Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for Web sites on solar energy, parenting, fashion, and home decor. Her background also includes teaching, gardening, and health and fitness. For more of her useful articles on ecologically friendly furniture, please visit Green Furniture.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anne_Clarke

Here are some high-impact environmentally friendly kitchen design ideas:

o Kitchen Recycling Centre

Look for sets of kitchen bins that allow you to easily separate rubbish – paper, food, bottles, plastics, etc.

o Waste Disposal machines

These are ideal for reducing the physical amount of food waste down to small pieces. Then start a wormery where worms can compost down the food waste more efficiently. Use the compost on your garden.

o Energy-Efficient Kitchen Appliances

When considering your refrigerator, dishwasher or washing machine purchases for the kitchen remodeling project, each appliance will have an Energy Rating. Advanced technology now means that appliances can use 10 to 50 percent less energy and water than standard models

o Induction Hobs

Induction cooking uses electricity to produce a magnetic field that reacts with the ferric content in stainless steel, cast iron, and enameled steel cookware. This excites the molecules and produces heat. The cookware (and therefore the food) gets hot, but the stove-top doesn’t. Less heat is wasted and the food heats faster, saving time and energy. Induction cooking is about 90 percent energy efficient as compared to gas and electric radiant, which are 50 to 60 percent efficient.

o Dishwashers and Washing Machines

Use a full load in your dishwasher and washing machine. If you are thinking of buying a new machine, make sure you buy a water efficient model. Have a look at our website where we have collated more information on water efficient appliances.

o Stained Concrete or Indigenous Stone Kitchen Counter-tops.

Your kitchen design should include materials that are durable and water-resistant for both counter tops and splash-backs. Stained concrete uses non-toxic, natural pigments rather than surface-applied stains. Many types of indigenous stone are available and can come from salvage sources. Make sure they are adequately sealed to prevent staining.

o Energy-Efficient Task Lighting and Lighting Controls

Kitchen designs often include two or three light settings such as general, task lighting, and mood lighting. Maximize natural light wherever possible and low voltage systems for task and mood lighting.

o Eco-Friendly Kitchen Flooring

Products manufactured from renewable forests can provide you with a beautiful, affordable and durable floor – and an environmentally responsible choice. Bamboo, cork, and eucalyptus mature in roughly half the time (or less) that it takes hardwoods, grown in colder climates, to reach market size.

o Wall Insulation

Nothing improves the comfort and energy efficiency of a kitchen more than plenty of insulation in the exterior walls. To add insulation to existing kitchen walls, blow fibrous insulation material – fiberglass or natural materials like cellulose and mineral wool – into enclosed wall, floor and roof cavities. “Dense packing” the insulation inhibits air circulation within the cavities, thereby eliminating a major cause of condensation, moisture problems and air leakage.

o Kitchen Windows, Doors and Skylights

Well-designed windows and skylights can lighten the feel of a kitchen and save on fuel bills as well. Ensure the products used have low heat emission glass with solar shading, which increases the room’s comfort, protects items from sun damage and reduces condensation on windows.

Ian D Ludlow helps sales and customer service people and organisations in the business-to-business, direct sales and retail environments to improve their current performance.

As a Master Practitioner of NLP and Accredited LVT Practitioner, he uses fun and creative techniques to change unproductive behaviours and to help individuals and teams THINK FASTER and REACT QUICKER to ever changing market conditions.

He states, “If you carry on doing what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.” Ian’s specialism is knowing what to change and how to change it with minimum effort and maximum return.

Ian helped improve the average sales value for a retail business by 14% which added £34M in sales revenue over one year from 320 stores. He also helped increase the sales conversion ratio by 7% through quality sales training and lead generation programmes for a kitchen and bathroom installer; increasing sales by £24M over one year.

Ian D Ludlow can be contacted on +44 (0)1795 55 56 83 whilst his website is under construction.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ian_Ludlow

What are the reasons for considering bamboo to be ecologically friendly? Experts state these major factors to decide whether a product is eco-friendly or not.

The first is, called the renewability of the product. The exact definition of the term renewable would be ‘relating to or being a commodity or resource, such as solar energy or wood, that is inexhaustible or replaceable by new growth’. In other words, it should be a source which can be easily renewed or replenished in a relatively short time and should not take hundreds of years to replenish. When we consider bamboo, it is basically a grass not a tree, grows very fast, matures in about 2 to 6 years. Bamboo has a robust root system that generates multiple new shoots for every culm (mature stalk) that is harvested. Hence, bamboo can be harvested many times from the same plants or in other words, the original plant is not killed when the bamboo is cut down. This is a very important factor for preserving environment, unlike when furniture is made of wood, a whole tree needs to be cut down and it takes about 60 to 100 years to grow the tree back.
The second defining point is that it prevents erosion of the soil, and reduces amount of carbon-dioxide in the atmosphere. Further it can grow practically in any condition without too much water and it is not a threat to any other trees growing nearby.

The third factor is the amount of chemicals that are needed to grow the plant, process it and finish it so that it is ready for sale. Bamboo doesn’t need too much pesticides or chemicals to either grow or process.

Considering all these factors and the factor that bamboo is completely bio-degradable, it is no wonder that bamboo is becoming the rising star of the eco-friendly world.

Gnana Ramanathan is an internet entreprenuer specialising in elegant home decor items like Bamboo Rugs [http://www.eleganthomedecors.com/bamboo_rugs.html], Hammocks, and Home Decor accessories like vases, lighting etc.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gnana_Ramanathan

There is a high consumer demand for green products that are environmentally friendly, durable, affordable and attractive. When given the choice of using high quality, ecologically friendly building materials over traditional products, consumers are overwhelmingly choosing products of a sustainable and environmentally conscious variety.

In general, the public is becoming more and more aware of the rapid decrease and reduction of hardwood forests and the threat that deforestation can pose to a delicate ecosystem. Bamboo flooring is a great choice for those who wish to not contribute to destruction of such an integral part of our global ecology. It is termite, rot and moisture resistant and functions as a top-notch flooring material.

There are many types of bamboo flooring available for to suit each homeowner’s unique style. Distressed bamboo floors have an antique look. Strand woven bamboo has a hybrid grain between wood and bamboo and is extra resilient. Laminate bamboo flooring is ideal for rooms with varying humidity, like a basement.

A bamboo field can produce up to 30% more oxygen than a hardwood forest of similar size, while removing toxins from the soil and preventing erosion. It also helps reduce the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Because bamboo is a type of grass, it can regenerate itself without replanting after harvesting. Since it is the fastest growing plant on earth, bamboo is quickly becoming a popular source for efficient and sustainable building materials.

Bamboo has a wide root system, making it a natural water control blockade. It reduces rain runoff, thereby preventing erosion. Bamboo can store water within its shoots and, because of its nitrogen consumption, can prevent water pollution. Often times, bamboo will be grown near wastewater from livestock farms and sewage treatment facilities because of its cleansing and detoxifying properties.

Traditional hardwood forest lumber such as maple, birch and oak take almost 50 years to be renewed. That, in turn, causes less oxygen to be produced, less greenhouse gases to be consumed, and more erosion and runoff in the cleared land. Instead of depleting our natural resources and contributing to a failing ecosystem, choose bamboo. It is the logical and environmentally friendly choice for flooring in a modern home.

Mr. Oliver is a marketing agent of Better Green Technologies. The energy efficient builder provides quality eco-friendly building materials and supplies to customers throughout the United States. For more information on their Energy Efficient Building Products please visit their website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Budda_Oliver

Add to that the fact that the decimation of forest covers around the world may be a major factor in climate change, and the need for a natural hardwood cabinet substitute which can be easily renewed is even more crucial. One answer is bamboo cabinets. Bamboo cabinets will imbue your décor with a tropical aura, giving it an exotic atmosphere uniquely you own.

Bamboo cabinets are fashioned from canes of bamboo plants, which are actually grasses, and not wood. But the terrific thing about bamboo cabinets, for the environmentally conscious homeowner, is that they come from a source which renews itself in a remarkably short time. Bamboo not only survives cutting; it thrives on it with new growth which is thicker and stronger than before.

Bamboo has been used in Asian flooring, cabinetry, and furniture for centuries Bamboo is indigenous to several areas of the world, and each species of bamboo will create bamboo cabinets of unique appearance. But bamboo cabinets, no matter where their bamboo is grown, are all strikingly attractive and remarkably durable, with a hardness rating fifty percent greater than most hardwoods and equal in strength to red oak.

Of bamboo’s more than one thousand species, the one most commonly used for building material is the Moso bamboo, which can attain a height of forty feet and a diameter of between six and eight inches, with its stalk walls up to an inch thick.

Bamboo’s Amazing Positives

Bamboo’s strength has made it a perfect material for fishing poles, because it combines that strength with flexibility and minimal weight. Bamboo cabinets will be exceptionally strong because each of the strands in a bamboo cane is absolutely straight, and because bamboo has no branches, it also has no knots. The “knuckles” which the canes do contain are dense enough that they do nothing to weaken the structure of the bamboo cabinets. And bamboo’s stability means that it is much less likely to warp in hot or cold conditions than hardwood.

Given that bamboo cabinets are built from an all natural material which can renew itself completely in five years, and that their durability exceeds that of most hardwoods, and finally, that they simply add a look to your décor which is not achievable with any other type of cabinet, bamboo cabinets may well be the undiscovered gems of the cabinet industry!

You can also find more info on bathroom cabinets and television cabinets.Knowcabinets.com is a comprehensive resource to know more about cabinets.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Faulkner

Natural hardwoods are typically a preferred option for cabinetry but the beauty of hardwoods comes at an ecological price. And that is where role of bamboo cabinets come in. Bamboo cabinets give your décor a tropical atmosphere without causing any ecological imbalance.

Point to be noted here is that bamboo cabinets are fashioned from canes of bamboo plants. Canes of bamboo plants are not wood but grasses. If you are one of those homeowners who love environment then bamboo cabinets is tailor made for you.

Bamboo cabinets come from a source, which has an ability to renew itself in a short span of time. Cutting does not have an impact on bamboo. As a matter of fact, it thrives on cutting with new growth that is stronger than before.

The most important thing about bamboo cabinets is that they are durable in nature and looks quite attractive. The hardness rating of bamboo cabinets is fifty percent more than most hardwoods. In terms of strength, bamboo cabinets are equal to red oak.

Bamboo is a perfect material for fishing poles, thanks to its strength. What is more, bamboo also gives you flexibility, which is not the case with hardwoods. You do not have to worry about the toughness of Bamboo cabinets, as all the strands in a bamboo cane are straight. Furthermore, bamboo cabinets have no knots as bamboo has no branches. The stability of bamboo pretty much ensures that chances of it warping in hot or cold weather are minimal as compared to hardwood.

Built from natural material, bamboo cabinets have an ability to renew itself in a matter of three or four years. Talking about durability of bamboo cabinets, it is much more durable than the hardwoods. Finally, bamboo cabinets also enhance the overall look of your décor.

Cabinets are a very important part of your school, office or house whether they are installed in kitchen, bedroom, living area, laundry or bathroom. They offer a beautiful and practical solution for storage too. Lois J. Wright is an expert author who writes for AboutCabinets.net

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lois_J._Wright

Materials galore
First, check out the wide variety of materials that you can use to construct ecologically safe real estate properties. One material to use is bamboo, which is a very cheap and accessible material that grows quickly and does not harm the environment. Using bamboo for your home can begin with the scaffolding used to build the outline of your home. You can also create walls that are made entirely from bamboo. A versatile plant, even the leaves are sometimes used in traditional Asian homes for roofing. Check out stones, rocks, and clay for building the foundations as well as the walls and fences of your home, since these are also ecologically friendly and will last a long time. They can, however, be expensive especially if you are using materials that are expensive. Wood is also one of the most frequently used of the ecologically sustainable building materials. Keep in mind, however, that wood logged from old growth forests are to be avoided.

Aesthetic benefit
Apart from the advantages of sustainability, these materials also have the added benefit of providing aesthetic appeal in themselves. While concrete walls need to be painted or covered with wallpaper, the use of wood, bamboo, or stone for construction gives the home an instant texture and character that is otherwise difficult to achieve. In fact, some interior designers go to the trouble of covering concrete walls with bamboo strips, or wood panels. Here are some of the common real estate elements where ecologically safe materials can be used.

Walls and flooring
The walls and flooring are some of the best places to use ecologically friendly building materials. Parquet floors are some of the most popular wood floors, while wood panels can also be used as walls instead of concrete. Partitions between parts of homes that do not need thick divides can also be made of bamboo partitions. Homes that need better ventilation can also benefit from the use of bamboo sliding walls which allow air to circulate especially in small spaces which are one of the primary characteristics of homes today – such as apartments and condominiums in the city.

With the right use of ecologically sustainable building materials, the environment and your real estate property does not have to be at odds with each other. So go ahead, go green while enjoying yourself in your new home.

For real estate options that make use of ecologically friendly materials, check out San Diego Houses for Sale and Real Estate in San Diego.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Maria_Faith