Your Bedroom: Striving For Sustainability

Creating a greener bedroom may not be on the forefront of our minds. After all, there are fewer everyday consumables in a bedroom. We relax, recuperate, and recharge. Comfort reigns supreme. However, there is always room for improvement towards a more earth-friendly dwelling.

Before you seek a more sustainable slumber chamber, you can check out our posts on a greener kitchen, a cleaner bathroom, and a serene living room scene.

And now, on to the bedroom, our sanctuary!

Here are 11 ways to create carbon-neutral calm, plant-based peace, and renewable rest. Browse by category, or scroll through each sustainable swap!

DRAPES + DRAWERS

Back to Top

1. Draw your drapes, naturally.

Many curtains and drapes are made from polyester, nylon, and other synthetic, plastic-based materials. They offer durability and cost, but the sun can deteriorate these materials, releasing micro particles that we breathe into our lungs.

Opt for cotton, silk, linen, or lace drapes or curtains for a safer, healthier bedroom. They are more expensive than synthetic alternatives, but well worth it. Plus, when it’s time to retire them, these natural fibers will biodegrade, which brings us peace of mind.

2. Seek out rugs and runners made of renewable materials.

Like drapes and curtains, our carpets and rugs are often made of synthetics like viscose, nylon, and polypropylene. Normal wear releases their small plastic fibers into the air and our lungs.

When it’s time to replace your floor coverings, consider wool, cotton, or other natural fibers. Yes, this can come at an increased financial cost, but not health-wise. When they wear down, and it’s time to toss, you’ll know they will decompose into natural compounds.

3. Fill your closet without fast fashion.

This is a tough pill to swallow. We love our favorite clothing brands, but we rarely read their tags. Who knew that our athleisure wear is derived from fossil fuel-based crude oil? Fast fashion cuts corners...

Choose traditional fabrics, not synthetics. Cotton, linen, silk, wool, and even bamboo or cellulose all come from natural, replenishable sources. They break down when tossed or make great rags. Synthetics last longer, but that’s the point. They last forever.

Polyester, nylon, acrylic, polypropylene and elastane (aka Spandex) never fully break down in any environment. Fast fashion jeopardizes ecosystems in a micro(scopic) fashion.

 

MINDFUL ZEN

Back to Top

4. Adorn your walls with all-natural art.

In a feng shui frenzy, we may not pay attention to the materials of our art frames. Plastic is affordable and versatile, but they last forever once we choose to “upgrade” and toss them out.

Instead, choose wood! Use latex- or water-based paint to transform any piece of wood into something fresh. You can also opt for aluminum, so long as it’s recycled at the end of its life.

5. Don’t present your plants in plastic.

To start, always buy real plants, unless your travel schedule absolutely prevents you from even having succulents. Ask your local nursery to invest in compostable pots, not plastic ones. Recycle whatever plastic pots initially hold your plants.

Terra cotta and other clay pots are easy to find. They help absorb and store water, last a lifetime, and can be painted as desired. Broken pots work well at the bottom of new pots, protecting roots from excess water. For hands-off watering, find a DIY slow-drip water bottles to hydrate plants over time.

6. From candles to incense, your scents should make sense.

Cheaper candles contain paraffin (plastic-based) wax. They release alkans, alkenes and toluene into the air when burned. Cheaper incense often contains synthetic aromas and unnecessary dyes.

Nature provides us with natural oils and waxes. Coconut, beeswax, and soy-based candles are common at many stores today. Essential oils make great incense diffusers that do not need to be burned. You can even make them at home.

7. Naturally light up your life.

To start, let the sun provide you with as much light as your home and bedroom layouts allow. If that’s not an option, avoid incandescent bulbs at all costs.

LEDs are among the most common light bulbs available today, and CFLs (compact fluorescent lights) are second best. They last 100x and 10x longer than incandescent bulbs, respectively. Most importantly, both convert about 95% of their energy into light, not heat, so there is almost no risk of fire. If possible, lug your lamps into a power strip, which you can turn off during work hours or while on trips to save energy.

 

TUCKING IN

Back to Top

8. Your mattress is key to a sustainable slumber.

We all need sleep, and for that, we need comfort. For your mattress materials, avoid poly foam or polyurethane (memory foam) cushioning, which are both plastics and will never biodegrade.

Considering that we spent one-third of our lives in bed, we can afford to spend some time making conscious and sustainable mattress decisions. Look for cushioning that is 100% natural latex, which comes from trees and naturally repels dust mites, other allergens, mold, and mildew.

(For those with latex allergies, you can look for mattresses with cotton or wool batting.)

9. Plant-based pillows are a real thing.

Plastic pillows are cheaper, but they short-change the Earth. Synthetics like polyester, polystyrene, and vinyl all contribute to our plastic problem and never break down.

Sleep well on natural, plant-based fabrics and fillers made of cotton, linen, or bamboo. Animal products represent earth-friendly options, including wool, silk, cashmere, and down feathers. Either direction, you’ll sleep on something that’s wonderfully comfortable and natural.

10. Embrace biodegradable bedding.

Like our pillows and mattresses, many sheets, blankets and comforters are synthetic, made from woven acrylic or knitted polyester. They are comfortable, but they last uncomfortably long in landfills. (Forever.)

Natural materials like wool, cotton, linen, silk, and cashmere offer a more sustainable sheets option. Bamboo textiles have emerged and grown quite popular, and eucalyptus even offers a cooling effect for those hotter summer nights.

11. Choose eco-friendly eye masks and ear plugs.

Many common materials today are plastic-based. This applies to polyester or nylon eye masks and polyurethane (memory foam) ear plugs. Alternatives exist, if we care enough to seek them out.

Find an eye mask made from natural materials like wool, cotton, linen, silk, or cashmere. The most sustainable ear plugs are washable and reusable many times over. Many of these are silicone-based, which, while not especially biodegradable, are at least eco-neutral.

BONUS: White noise, perhaps from your phone, won’t block out sounds, but it can mask them. You can set a timer so that you’re not unnecessarily utilizing energy while sleeping soundly. The best part is, white noise means you can leave ear plugs off your shopping list entirely!

🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊 

Our hope is to inspire people to perform their own small-scale beach cleanups whenever they visit our beautiful oceans. Every bit helps, so we hope you join the community and share your stories.

Thanks, and we’ll see you on the next wave!

Enjoy what you're reading?

Sign up to join our community, The Wave, and get articles, ocean magic, and product updates as we have them.

Never email trash, just the good stuff.

Thank you for being you.