http://www.care2.com/greenliving/stay-warm-sleep-in-green-window-treatments.html
Stay Warm, Sleep In: Green Window Treatments
Living deep in the woods, my family has enjoyed the luxury of not needing window treatments. The only potential Peeking Toms were vulnerable to are curious squirrels, woodpeckers or atypically brazen deer. Weve decided to look into window treatment options, however, for three reasons: 1) To create a more finished look in certain rooms, 2) To lengthen the time our children sleep. When the sun rises, they do too, even on weekends; and 3) To increase energy efficiency in our home.
So, where do eco-friendliness, functionality and aesthetics meet? The main thing to look for is 100 percent natural fabrics and materials. Many window treatments are made with some form of plastic, be it polyester or vinyl, which release toxic gasses when warmed by the sun. Instead check out these resources for green window treatments:
1. Naturally dyed curtains or drapes made of fabrics such as cotton, linen or hemp are a great choice. Anna Sovas line of organic drapery includes 100 percent natural silk drapes, made with no toxic bleaches, heavy metal dyes, formaldehyde or silicon finishing.
2. Shutters provide insulation in both cold and hot weather. Look for shutters made of bamboo or sustainably harvested Basswood. Basswood shutters are widely available.
Just make sure that if the shutters have a coating on them, it is water-based.
3. Shades Earthshades shades are made of high quality reed, bamboo, hemp and rapidly-renewable grasses. No chemical coating is used, and all shades promise a high degree of insulation.
Before making a purchase, be sure to ask your retailer or manufacturer about the R-value of your preferred treatment so that youll know how much insulation it will provide. The higher the value, the more energy-efficient the product is. Shoot for an R-value around 3.
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add your comment »I love the Anna Sova line for organic drapery! I'm moving into a new apartment and have been looking for eco-friendly window treatments. Thanks!
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Thanks for the informative post. Certain things in life are really very necessary for good slip. And if u sleep well then you will feel fresh whole the day . This post is very useful for the sound sleep .
gift ideas
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Thank you Miss Info! It maybe not be a 'natural' material, but it would be recycling as opposed to buying new synthetic batting. Perfect idea! Thank you. (I could even buy some cheaply at a Sally Ann or someplace like that.)
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Maija -
You can put an old, worn-out blanket inside your quilt.
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It depends where you live in the world. Here in Queensland, Australia we have cyclones and huge storms with hail so the perfect thing would be those solid outdoor shutters that you can roll down and lock into position when a storm is approaching. I don't know whether they're considered green or not but sometimes we also have to be practical. If I could find some made from bamboo that would be wonderful.
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Im thinking of covering up the windows in the basement with insulation during the winter to make it warmer.
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It may not be completely organic, but I keep planning to make window quilts. I'll most likely use cotton, but the 'inners' will be quilt batting... unless someone can suggest an alternative that is just as cheap and warm... and natural.
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We, too, live in a a private place and didn't have window coverings for years UNTIL we realized how energy inefficient it was. Over the years we have been able to afford to have a few windows and doors replaced with those that have integral blinds. This is both beautiful and helps with asthma/allergy control. We have cellular shades on our other windows. They disappear during the day really help improve the energy efficiency of our home. Window treatments are not about privacy or design elements for us but about weaning ourselves off oil, as each of us should be doing as much as possible.
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I've never liked curtains or blinds because the cats can open them, shed on them, or make them rattle while I'm tryingn to sleep. When we had our attic remodeled into a bedroom, we had shutters built for the inside of our windows. They are solid wood (not louvers), open on a bifold, and match the closet doors. When the cats started testing their ability to open them, we rubber-banded the two handles together. The cats gave up, and now we don't need the rubber band anymore. The shutters block out nearly all light, they don't need to be washed like curtains, they don't rattle like blinds, and they don't let light out around the edges like shades. Wonderful for the bedroom!
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