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31 Bit Designs is a socially minded business designed to give internally displaced women in Northern Uganda an opportunity to counter poverty. (Courtesy of: 31 Bits.com)

Blog post by Erika F. Washington
November 24, 2011

Admittedly it can seem difficult to stay in an eco-friendly state of mind during the holiday season with the rush of sales and Black Friday approaching at high speed. Today, more than ever, however, we need to celebrate what we have and protect it by being conscious of what our actions can do to the earth.

Before you grab “the greatest deal,” think about whether the true costs are accounted for in the sticker price—for example, the environmental costs of producing and transporting the product, your costs to drive from shop to shop in traffic. Many consumers out there are supporting the OCCUPYXMAS or Buy Nothing Day. And it is true that if stores did not open at midnight Friday morning or stay open late to satisfy the rush of hungry consumers, we undoubtedly would save energy and natural resources, but this to me doesn’t seem like a successful protest. Black Friday has been around much too long, and the powers behind it spend a lot of money pushing for this to be the American way.

Instead of protesting against the idea of shopping at un-godly hours, let’s focus on shopping smarter and not lose sight of the ultimate goal. Businesses that are completely conscious of the earth, creator, and consumer are not as hard to find as many think. A host of Web sites and boutiques offer vegan, organic, and fair-trade products.

Here are a few to start your shopping season off:

31 Bit Designs is a socially minded business designed to give internally displaced women in Northern Uganda an opportunity to counter poverty. Beautiful beaded jewelry pieces are all hand strung with love and care. The program equips women by providing literacy education, financial and vocational training, holistic care, and strong support systems, empowering individuals to further their careers and attain social equity.

How we define “style” is shifting with the growing awareness of pollution, deforestation, global warming, and resource depletion. Cri de Coeur, a completely animal-free shoe company, seeks to educate people about a vegan lifestyle. Its philosophical mission states that the company believes that “taking personal responsibility for not only what goes inside our bodies but for what we put on the outside of our bodies is crucial to our survival.”

Coyuchi sells not only sheets, towels, baby bedding, pajamas, and robes but a whole host of home textiles rooted in nature. The signature bedding is made from 100-percent certified organic cotton. All of its cotton products are certified to the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and produced using fair–labor practices.

Rosie Hippo sells handcrafted wooden toys and toys made from organic fabrics. Its toys come from individuals, companies, villages, and cooperatives around the world. All of the toys are produced under conditions that are fair to workers and kind to the environment.

While shopping for the ones we love, we must keep in mind that we all occupytheearth so don’t just be “eco-friendly.” Love it—by respecting it.

© 2011 SCGH, LLC.

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Bed bugs are small but create big problems. (Wikimedia Commons)

By Debra Atlas

The idea of bed bugs in your home or hotel room strikes terror in the hearts and imaginations of many people. Yet it has become a reality in such diverse places as luxury hotels, well-known department stores, and in many homes.

Bed bugs were mentioned by such noted authors as Aristotle, Pliny, and others as far back as 400 BC in ancient Greece. Once thought to be a health scourge caused by lack of cleanliness, newer data shows a likely link to climate change, which along with the ban on the use of DDT, has created a direct increase in the volume of pests.

There is a proven natural remedy and prevention method. Greenbug All Natural Pest Control Products uses cedar as a natural pest deterrent. Made with 10 percent organic cedar oil and 90 percent silane (liquefied quartz), Greenbug is deadly to pests but safe for humans, animals—and the environment.

According to Greenbug’s Web site, a study shows the direct spray of Greenbug for People causes “immediate immobilization of the bed bug nymphs, followed by 100% mortality within 1 minute of the topical application.” As for bug eggs treated with Greenbug, the site says the study found that “[n]one of the 61 treated eggs hatched after 17 days compared to 75% egg hatch in a non-treated control group.”

Standard treatment for bed bugs and other equally obnoxious pests such as head lice uses serious pesticides, which are composed of poisons, neurotoxins, and carcinogens. The use of these harsh chemicals is linked to a variety of health issues, including asthma, autism, ADHD, and cancer.

The 2008 United Nations’ Stockholm conference identified the top ten most serious chemical offenders and devised a plan to eradicate their use. The following year, more chemicals were added to the list, including lindane, the key ingredient in head lice treatments. Interestingly, an exception granted to the pharmaceutical industry stated that lindane is allowable to treat head lice. And we’re slathering this toxic chemical on our kids’ heads?

Concerned for the environment, Louise and Dan Hodges, founders of Greenbug, became aware of the cumulative effects of pesticides affecting people, animals, honey bees, and butterflies—the latter of which are key pollinators for fruit trees, produce, and other important vegetation. Their discovery of cedar’s effectiveness for pest control provides a great natural alternative to synthetic chemical treatments.

But gaining recognition and acceptance from the pest control industry has been an uphill climb. “Pests professionals scoff at [Greenbug],” says Louise Hodges. She feels that their thinking is “if it’s natural, it doesn’t work.”

Current treatment for household bed bugs includes stripping the house of all its contents, placing them inside a sealed truck or container, then filling the container with serious chemicals, saturating everything for several hours. After airing the container out for hours, everything is then placed back inside the house.

Greenbug is chemical free and safe, Louise Hodges says. A pest control professional recently told her that people do not care if the treatment is safe. “They just want it to work!” she says.

Not only do Greenbug products proactively treat bed bugs, there is another distinct difference between Greenbug and standard pesticides. These environmentally friendly products also prevent them. Greenbug products can be used safely in newborn nurseries and directly on pets (even puppies). They leave no stain or residue behind and have a pleasant fragrance.

Greenbug products come in several varieties and sizes. The personal size, two-ounce spray bottle is perfect for travel and even accepted by TSA for carry-on. FDA approved to use around food, Greenbug for Indoors is a cinch for kitchen use. Spray and work Greenbug for Pets directly into your pet’s coat for protection and relief from crawling pests. Greenbug for Outdoors can be used directly on garden plants or your home’s foundation. It comes in ready-to-use or concentrated formulas.

Greenbug is effective in killing all kinds of pests, including:

• head lice
• bed bugs
• fleas
• mosquitoes
• fire ants
• horse flies
• roaches
• flies and black flies
• dust mites
• aphids
• ticks, and
• chiggers, no-see-ems, and sand gnats

It takes only one use for Greenbug to work, says Louise Hodges.

“If there’s a large infestation of head lice,” she suggests, “Greenbug for Indoors can be used with laundry loads [and] more cost effectively on large-scale items or areas that [cannot] be laundered.”

Consumers will need a professional fogger to apply Greenbug for bed bugs. The company sells foggers, but people also can purchase the natural pesticide, then have a professional apply it.

An environmental journalist and blogger, Debra Atlas is reachable through  Eco-hub.net/wp or debraatlas@gmail.com. Check out more articles by Debra Atlas.

© 2011 SCGH, LLC.

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Chico bag starter kit offered by Greenfeet. (Courtesy of Greenfeet)

By Debra Atlas

Online retailers generally are not known for great customer service. Instead, they build their reputation on offering quality products and prompt delivery, and many carry a variety of eco-friendly or sustainable products.

(Photo courtesy of Greenfeet.)

One online retailer has figured out how to put all this together. Bucking the norm, Greenfeet strives to offer online shopping that is easy, fun, and steeped in customer service. One of the original online retail stores, Greenfeet features thousands of sustainably sourced healthy-living and food products. The company seeks to offer products which are well made, built to last, and produced in a fashion that is not detrimental to people or to the planet—all while providing customer service.

This last criterion recently earned Greenfeet a STELLAService award. STELLAService is an independent, third-party company that identifies and awards online retailers that demonstrate excellent customer service.

“We think customer service is a simple idea. We’re champions for companies treating customers right,” says Jordy Leiser, CEO of STELLAService.

Launched in 2010, STELLAService is about transparency in the marketplace. “This is an important thing for online commerce,” says Leiser. “Businesses really want to improve. They’ve never really been able to benchmark what their performance is before.”

STELLAService provides insight for companies on how well they are doing from a customer’s perspective. It gave Greenfeet an “excellent” rating for customer service. Greenfeet did not know it was being scrutinized for this award, says Valerie Reddmann, Greenfeet’s co-founder and “Chief Yoo-hoo.”

STELLAService evaluates companies in three overall categories:

1. Customer online experience;
2. Company shipping and return policies and practices; and
3. Customer support (any interaction that a customer would have with the business).

STELLAService utilizes what it calls “mystery shoppers on steroids”—people who work 40 hours a week for STELLAService evaluating thousands of companies large and small. This year, Leiser says the company plans to evaluate 4,000 companies. To do so, STELLAService contacts nominated companies and interacts with them—by phone and online.

“[The mystery shoppers] evaluate [the company] as if they were the manager of their call center,” says Leiser.

“They want to see how Greenfeet reacts, how they treat their customers,” Reddmann adds.

STELLAService has three levels of rating. First is the basic “approved” level.

“Less than 50 percent of the [thousands of] companies that go through the process make that,” says Reddmann. “It tells me there’s a big problem with [delivering] good customer service these days.”

The next level is the “excellent” rating. Reddmann says Greenfeet received this high rating.

You can see Greenfeet’s rating on STELLAService’s site. Among the factors that Greenfeet received an “outstanding” rating on are its return policy, friendly knowledgeable support, and outstanding gifting options.

The third and highest rating any online retailer can receive is STELLAService’s “elite.” This rating is very difficult to get to, says Reddmann. But she is determined that Greenfeet will achieve it.

Companies such as Amazon and Zappos have achieved this level. “It’s a high echelon of service that I’m sure we’ll get to,” Redmann says. “It’s a coveted seal, a badge of honor.” And it is one rating that award winners proudly display on their Web sites.

To ensure that award recipients maintain their rated level of service, STELLAService revisits companies a minimum of once a year. Customers can visit company profiles and leave feedback and comments about their own experiences. STELLAService makes sure to take this information into consideration.

Winning the award has motivated Greenfeet to “up our game even more” and exceed customers’ expectations, Reddmann says. “We try to be fresh, true, and we don’t overcomplicate things,” she says, noting that green living is going back to basics.

“It’s about relating to customers as people,” says Reddmann, “treating them as we would want to be treated and adding a sense of humor.”

Check out more articles by Debra Atlas.

© 2011 SCGH, LLC.

Mattresses and many pillows cannot be washed, but can get soiled from perspiration, body fluids, and spills. (Doesn’t everyone eat and drink in bed?) The right kind of pad, which protects the top of the mattress, or cover, and the sides, will keep mattress clean and fresh and make it last longer.

The ultimate in protection are mattress protectors (also called encasements), which are zippered and fully encase the mattress. Some are designed only to keep the mattress clean, while others are designed to act as barriers to dust mites. Some protectors are even treated with antimicrobial chemicals. The jury is out about whether these bacteria-inhibiting finishes actually do any good or if they merely hasten the breeding of super-bacteria that are resistant to the chemicals.

Covers and protectors are generally made of a single layer of fabric. Pads, on the other hand, have cushioning designed to make your mattress more comfortable. A thicker type of pad called a “topper” is even more luxurious.

Top Tips

When shopping, look for

• Products that will extend the life of your mattress, including pads, covers, and protectors.
• Wool toppers. These 2- or 3-inch-thick pads can give you many of the benefits of an all-natural mattress at a lower cost. The wool will wick moisture away from your body, which helps keep you cooler on warm nights. And on cool nights, the air pockets between the wool fibers trap your body heat, helping keep you warmer.

For pillows

• Plain cotton cover. All a pillow needs to keep it clean is a plain cotton (preferably organic) zippered cover, although if you are allergic to dust mites, you may want to buy a pillow protector that serves as a barrier to dust mites.

Avoid

• Mattress protectors lined with vinyl because of the hazards associated with vinyl production.

Benefits…

…to you and your health
Placing pads, covers, and/or protectors on mattresses and pillows will keep them clean, fresh, and comfortable. The products that serve as a barrier to dust mites can help allergy sufferers.

…to your wallet
Keeping your mattress and pillows clean will help them last longer, which means you’ll save money on replacements.

…to the Earth
With less frequent replacements, you’ll save energy and other natural resources.

Common Mistakes

Making assumptions. Some of these products say they are “natural,” but actually use a combination of natural and synthetic materials. There’s no regulation of the word “natural,” so if you want to avoid synthetic fibers, read the label carefully.

Getting Started

Natural-fiber mattress pads, toppers, covers, and protectors can be found in stores where bedding is sold. But there are more choices online. So look around and consider your options before you buy.

Related Products & Services

• Bedding overview
• Sheets
• Pillows
• Blankets, Comforters, and Quilts
• Mattresses, Box Springs, and Bed Frames

The most common type of mattress, the inner-spring, is made with a host of synthetic materials in addition to its metal springs. The outer fabric is polyester or cotton/poly “ticking.” Then there is polyester batting (sheets of stuffing), and layers of foam, including polyurethane foam, latex, or visco-elastic foam (commonly known as “memory foam”). All these materials are derived from nonrenewable petrochemicals. While sellers of natural-fiber mattresses may claim that synthetics are bad for you, there’s little evidence substantiating this, especially since most manufacturers have stopped using PBDE flame retardants (see below).

From an environmental and health perspective, there’s little to distinguish one synthetic mattress from another. Spend plenty of time testing mattresses at the store, and buy one that feels good to you and is priced right. Although Consumer Reports doesn’t rate mattresses, the magazine does report that paying more doesn’t necessarily get you a better mattress, and all but the cheapest mattresses can be fine.

If you are trying to minimize your use of petrochemicals, you may want to look for an all-natural mattress. There are a number of options to choose from, but they can be pricey and hard to find in stores.

Top Tips

At home

• Extend the life of your mattress with a pad, cover, or mattress protector.
• Vacuum. To remove dust, vacuum your mattress periodically, or purchase zippered mattress protectors to contain the dust.
• Treat natural materials with TLC. Some special care is required for a natural mattress: Don’t put it on the floor or on a solid platform bed frame-use the box springs or bed frames designed for it. This will ensure the mattress can breathe. If possible, take the mattress outdoors for a day of airing and sunning at least twice a year.

When shopping

• Take your time. From a health and environmental perspective, there’s nothing that makes one brand of conventional synthetic mattress stand out above another. Take plenty of time to shop around for a mattress that feels good, is well made, and fits your budget.
• Size matters. Regardless of whether you are buying a synthetic or natural-fiber mattress, the larger it is, the bigger its impact on the environment because it requires more material to make (and more fabric for the sheets and other bedding that will cover it). If a double or queen will suit you fine, don’t feel pressured to upsize to a king.
• Decide what type of mattress is right for you:
  • Innerspring? The metal innerspring mattress and box spring is the most common bed system in the United States today. Choose an innerspring mattress if you want a conventional mattress that has good, firm support. If you want an all-natural bed, make sure your covering (also called “ticking”) and batting (stuffing) are made from materials such as organic cotton, wool, or hemp. One environmental disadvantage of innerspring mattresses is that they are 70% to 80% steel, which requires more energy to manufacture than other types of mattresses; however, steel is fully recyclable and will be recovered if your local waste hauler recycles mattresses rather than landfilling them.
  • Foam? The most popular type of foam mattress is visco-elastic, a petrochemical-based product more commonly known as “memory foam.” Many people like the pressure-free support that memory foam provides. If you’re looking for an all-natural alternative, however, consider a natural latex mattress, which is made from the sap of rubber trees. (Many synthetic latex or synthetic/natural latex blend mattresses are also available.) Natural latex has good, resilient “spring,” provides excellent moisture regulation and efficient air circulation, and resists mold and dust mites. Be aware, though, that some people don’t like the smell of natural latex.
  • Stuffed? These mattresses, also called futons, have cotton, wool, or hemp casings stuffed with cotton, wool, or hemp batting that is usually 4 to 6 inches thick. You can customize the firmness by layering multiple mattresses made of different materials. They require periodic sunning and airing.
• Then choose a matching foundation:
  • Box spring? If you choose an innerspring mattress, you’ll probably want a box spring (an assemblage of spiral bedsprings attached to a foundation and enclosed a box) underneath it. Despite the name, box springs aren’t springy. They should be very firm. To go all-natural, make sure the box spring is covered with natural-fiber fabric. If your old box spring is in good shape–the fabric isn’t torn and the metal supports aren’t sagging or springy–consider keeping it and just buying a new mattress. Some mattress warranties will be voided if you don’t buy the accompanying box spring, however, so check with retailers for mattress that can be sold separately.
  • Wood slats? For a latex mattress or stuffed mattress, you will want a wood slat foundation. Some bed systems come with a mattress and wood slat frame designed to work together. Most of these frames are stationary, but some European slat systems are adjustable. Most have plain, exposed wood; others are upholstered to look like a box spring. If the bed frame is made of composite wood materials like particle board, be aware that they may give off fumes of urea formaldehyde; choose solid wood or metal frames instead. Some companies make FSC-certified-wood bed frames.

Other Considerations

Until 2005, manufacturers of mattresses containing foam commonly used flame retardants called PBDEs that may damage human nervous systems. The good news is, most new mattresses and other polyurethane foam products, such as pillows and mattress pads, are no longer made with PBDEs.

Without PBDEs, what are manufacturers doing to meet government flammability standards? Natural mattress companies blend cotton with wool, which is naturally flame resistant. (Buying an organic cotton mattress without wool or fire-retardant chemicals requires a doctor’s prescription.) Some companies use low-toxic fire-resistant chemicals like borate or silica. Other companies use chemical treatments that they claim are proprietary.

To be sure the foam product you are buying is PBDE-free, ask the retailer or check the Environmental Working Group’s list of companies that sell PBDE-free products.

If you are considering a natural bed, here’s what you should know about materials:

• Cotton. Sheets of cotton filling give a bed firm support. On the other hand, they pack down over time, getting harder and harder with use, and do not breathe well. Other disadvantages: Cotton absorbs moisture from perspiration and air faster than it can release it. If you are spending the money to have a custom all-natural bed made, you will likely be able choose between conventional and organic cotton for the stuffing and cover fabric.
• Wool. Many all-natural mattresses today contain at least some wool because of its many benefits. Where cotton gives support, wool offers resilience. Wool is fast drying, so it keeps your body comfortable through the night. It’s also mold resistant, and does not harbor dust mites or bacteria. No chemical flame retardants are needed because it’s naturally resistant to fire.
• Hemp. Organically grown hemp is extremely durable and similar in its properties to wool. It does not grow mold or harbor bacteria. It’s an excellent choice for mattress coverings because it’s so much more durable than cotton.
• Natural latex. The benefits of natural latex foam are similar to those of wool. It has a good resilient “spring,” resists mold and dust mites, and provides efficient air circulation and moisture regulation. If you like sleeping on a foam mattress, this is a good natural alternative.

Benefits…

…to your wallet
Natural mattresses range in price from about $500 for a futon to more than $10,000 for a luxury-brand mattress.

…to the Earth
Natural mattresses are made from renewable agricultural fibers rather than nonrenewable petrochemicals.

Common Mistakes

Waterbeds. A waterbed heater uses about 900 kilowatt-hours of electricity each year. That’s about one-twelfth of the average U.S. household’s total electricity consumption. If you have one of the 6.4 million waterbeds in use in the United States, it’s likely one of the biggest energy hogs in your home.

Getting Started

• What should you do with old foam mattresses, pillows, and other foam products that may have been made with PBDE? No one has a good answer yet about how much of a health hazard they may be. But if you’re concerned, you could replace old foam products with new PBDE-free products. If that’s not in your budget, make an extra effort to dust and vacuum regularly since dust seems to be a carrier of PBDEs. Keep in mind that infants and toddlers bear the biggest exposure burden, since they’re more likely to put dusty fingers in their mouths.
• Check your local community disposal options for mattress recycling. In some places there’s an organization that will come collect your mattress, cut it apart, and separate the materials and recycle them for a reasonable fee.

Related Products & Services

• Beds and Bedding
• Sheets
• Mattress and Pillow Covers
• Blankets, Comforters, and Quilts
• Pillows
• Blankets, Comforters, and Quilts

The pillow may have been the first human sleep aid ever invented. Sleeping on the hard earth back in prehistoric times, it would have been only natural to collect a pile of soft leaves on which to rest one’s head.

Before the days of mass manufacturing, pillows were filled with whatever natural materials were available locally: plucking feathers from chickens and ducks was a common farmyard chore for children.

Today, natural pillows are a good choice for a good night’s sleep.

Top Tips

At home
Take good care of your pillow.

• Use a pillow cover to shield your pillow from humidity and body oils. Covers designed as dust mite barriers can give relief to people with allergies.
• Whack. Fluffing your pillow each morning as you climb out of bed will help it maintain maximum loft.
• Wash. If your pillow is washable, what are you waiting for? Check the label and follow manufacturer’s instructions.
• Freeze? If you have a small pillow (or a large freezer), you can put the pillow in a plastic bag in the freezer to get ride of dust mites. The best pillows for keeping dust mites low? Wool and latex. The worst? Down.

When shopping

• Choose organic cotton. Regardless of what the stuffing is, look for pillow covers made with cotton that isn’t farmed with a load of pesticides.
• Go for the goose. When shopping for feather or down pillows, look for top-quality white goose down if you can afford it. Duck down is a slightly less expensive and less soft alternative to goose down. Pillow feathers, which are even less expensive, come from the bodies of turkeys and chickens. They are stiffer, harder, and less resilient than the fluffy “down” feathers from geese and ducks. Pillows are made in many combinations of feathers and down to accommodate various price ranges and firmnesses. While people with allergies were once told to avoid down, more recent research has shown that reactions to down are most often related to dust mites, which infest other stuffings, too.
• Count your threads. Choose a cover made from 300+ thread-count natural cotton. “Thread-count” refers to the number of threads in a square inch of fabric. A higher count means a tighter weave, which keeps the tips of feathers from poking through.
• Determine your sleep style. Do you lie on your back, side, or stomach? The position in which you find yourself most frequently when you wake up is your “sleep style.” Then determine which pillow best fits your sleep style. A side sleeper, for instance, needs a thicker pillow because, when resting on a shoulder, his head will be farther from the bed. Soft down pillows do not offer much support, so they are better for a back or stomach sleeper.
• Synthetics. Good-quality polyester-filled pillows (also called “poly fill”) and synthetic foam pillows can be comfortable although they may not be as breathable as the natural fiber pillows. If you overheat at night or are trying to reduce your petrochemical consumption, these aren’t for you.

Other Considerations

• If you want a pillow with natural fiber stuffing, there are plenty of options to choose from, although they may cost more than synthetic pillows.
• Most wool pillows are made with sheep’s wool, there are also pillows made with a blend of sheep’s wool and alpaca, which have all the advantages of sheep’s wool but are noticeably softer. The wool fiber is a curly coil, which makes it naturally resilient. It doesn’t mat down and won’t clump or shift, offering good support while still being soft. Other virtues include: it’s breathable, non-allergenic, and naturally resistant to mold, mildew, dust mites, and bacteria. Some people who are allergic to wool may, in fact, tolerate and enjoy a wool pillow. Encased in its cover, the wool in a pillow does not come in contact with skin.
• Cotton fibers are straight and do not have much resilience, so cotton pillows tend to mat and get hard fairly quickly. But if you want more support in a pillow, cotton is a good green choice–so long as you choose organic cotton. Non-organic cotton is grown with large doses of pesticides. While fabric processing removes those contaminants, pesticide residues remain in the cotton used to fill pillows.
• Kapok is made from the silky, hollow fibers of the seedpod of the silk floss tree, which grows in the Tropics. Kapok performs much like down–it’s resilient and can shape to the body and then rebound to its original fluffiness.
• Hemp fibers are long and coarse, which make them less comfortable. But if you prefer less loft and fluff, pillows made from hemp might suit you.
• The benefits of natural latex are similar to those of wool. Latex has a good resilient “spring,” naturally resists mold, mildew and dust mites, and provides efficient air circulation and excellent heat and moisture regulation. If you like sleeping on a foam pillow, this is a good natural alternative. But some people have allergies to latex, or dislike the odor of the foam. If you suspect this might be a problem for you, ask for a sample of the latex foam before ordering a pillow.There are three types of latex foam pillows: molded, shredded, and contour. Each serves a different need, so you should be able to find one you like. A word of caution, though: latex can be labeled “100% natural” and contain up to 49% “other materials,” so buy from a dealer who knows what’s in the latex you’re considering.
• Buckwheat hulls are a paperlike “waste” material produced from the milling of buckwheat flour. The hulls are so small that they can easily move around to conform to the shape of your body, and are often used to alleviate headaches and neck and shoulder discomfort. Two different processes are used to mill buckwheat flour. The one that produces the cleanest, sturdiest hulls for pillows is called “roasting.”

Benefits…

…to you
Natural-fiber pillows are comfortable and healthy. They emit no unhealthy fumes, and are breathable, so your head stays cool throughout the night.

…to your wallet
It’s not hard to find moderately priced feather pillows, but goose down, wool, organic cotton, and other pillows made from natural materials will cost more. The least expensive pillows are synthetics: poly fill and polyurethane foam.

…to the Earth
Natural pillows are made from renewable resources rather than nonrenewable petrochemicals. Organic cotton pillows keeps harmful pesticides and synthetic fertilizers out of the environment.

Common Mistakes

Buying fuel-guzzling imports. Some natural pillows are imported from faraway places, producing more CO2 during shipping than pillows made closer to where you live. All types of natural pillows are made in the United States, so look for and choose these.

Getting Started

Bury dead pillows. If you fold your pillow in half and it just lies there, it’s dead. Time to send it to the landfill and get a new one.

Related Products & Services

• Beds and Bedding
• Sheets
• Mattress and Pillow Covers
• Blankets, Comforters, and Quilts
• Mattresses, Box Springs, and Bed Frames

A good night’s sleep is one of those essentials of good health, like proper nutrition and exercise. It improves mood and increases your ability to think clearly and handle stress. Every cell is rejuvenated.

Synthetic bedding products are common, from polyester sheets to polyurethane foam mattresses. They’re made from nonrenewable petrochemicals rather than renewable agricultural fibers, and some people may be affected by formaldehyde and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are emitted from synthetic products. If you are chemically sensitive, bedding products made with natural fibers and with no chemical treatments may be the best way for you to get a good night’s sleep. Even if you aren’t sensitive, you can benefit from the comfort and breathability of products made from natural rather than synthetic fibers.

Fortunately, there’s a long list of excellent natural-fiber bed products to choose from. For sheets and pillowcases, cotton is the most affordable and easy-to-find fiber, but you can also purchase linen, bamboo, hemp, modal (a type of rayon made from beech trees), or even silk bed linens. Blankets are made from a variety of natural fibers. Natural pillows bulge with feathers, down, cotton, wool, kapok, and even milkweed. For the fillings of quilts and comforters, your main choices are cotton, wool, down, silk, and hemp. For the mattress itself, where natural products may be less vital to your comfort and health, there are three types of construction–innerspring, foam, or stuffed–and innards made from synthetics, cotton, wool, hemp, or latex rubber.

If the list seems long–don’t despair. The rest of the articles in our bedding section can help you figure out which solutions will work best for you. Click on the following links to go to straight to the specific bedding topics or read on to get a great overview.

Detailed bedding articles

• Sheets
• Mattress and Pillow Covers
• Pillows
• Blankets, Comforters, and Quilts
• Mattresses, Box Springs, and Bed Frames

Top Tips

When shopping, look for

• Organic cotton. Some part of your bed will no doubt be made of cotton. Be sure the cotton you buy is organic. Conventional cotton uses even more pesticides per acre than growing food, so it’s even more important to the earth to buy organic cotton than it is to buy organic food.
• Sheets and pillowcases with no added formaldehyde. The main health concern associated with bed linens is formaldehyde, which provides wrinkle resistance in many fabrics. In high concentrations, though, it can cause asthma attics, nausea, a burning sensation in the eyes, nose and throat, and even cancer.
• Formaldehyde-free wood components. The main source of formaldehyde emissions in most homes is composite wood. Make sure your bed doesn’t add to the problem.
• Breathability. Synthetic bedding tends to be less breathable than natural products, so some people find it less comfortable.

Other Considerations

If you want to avoid petrochemical-based products, there are plenty of natural-fiber linens, bed covers, mattresses, and bedding accessories to choose from. But keep in mind that all-natural mattresses are harder to find and may cost you more than conventional mattresses.

Benefits…

…to you and your health
A natural bed can be healthier and increase the air flow around your body, which may allow you to sleep better.

…to your wallet
The initial investment in a natural bed is high (more than $1,000), but you can make the transition gradually by starting with sheets that have no added formaldehyde.

…to the Earth
Natural fibers are renewable. And if you buy cotton that is grown organically (without pesticides or synthetic fertilizers), you’ll spare the environment.

Common Mistakes

Too much washing and drying. Stay clean, but don’t over-wash your bedding. Too many trips to the washing machine–or leaving it too long in the dryer–wastes water and energy and wears out the fabric. See the Washers and Dryers article for tips on eco-friendly laundering.

Getting Started

If a complete natural bed makeover is beyond your budget, purchase components one by one. Start closest to your body and work away, creating more and more layers between your body and the synthetic mattress. All of these component parts can eventually be used with your natural-fiber mattress to make a completely natural bed.

Here’s a list of bed components in the order that you might want to replace them. For more information, click on the topic headings.

• Sheets
• Mattress and Pillow Covers
• Pillows
• Blankets, Comforters, and Quilts
• Mattresses, Box Springs, and Bed Frames

Cozy and environmentally friendly bed sheets are the first step in sleeping soundly through the night; many are available that are made from natural fibers such as cotton, bamboo, modal, linen, hemp, and even silk.

Top Tips

• Only buy what you need. If you’re happy with your current sheets, keep using them. Overzealous consumerism is behind many of the environmental crises we’re facing.

• Shop for quality. If you buy good-quality sheets, they will last longer.
• Conduct experiments.
  How fabric feels against the skin is very personal. Do your initial shopping in stores that have samples or, better yet, try lying on a friend’s silk, linen, or bamboo sheets. And if you are considering sheets made of bamboo or modal, which are new to the market, buy from a store that lets you return opened sheets if you don’t like them.
• Insist on organic cotton. Organic cotton is a must to minimize environmental pollution from pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. If you really want to go chemical-free, purchase bed linens that are unbleached and undyed in the traditional cream color and also various natural shades of cotton.

Avoid

• Formaldehyde. Some sheets are labeled as formaldehyde-free, but most give no indication of whether they contain formaldehyde. Formaldehyde has been linked to cancer, asthma attacks, and other ailments. Keep in mind that by forfeiting formaldehyde, you may have to live with some wrinkles in the sheets. Here’s a quick guide to finding fabrics that are formaldehyde-free.

Other Considerations

• As to comfort, many people prefer the feel of high-quality, organic cotton, but other linens have advantages for different reasons or situations.
• Bamboo and modal bed linens are less durable than cotton, but more absorbent and usually cheaper than organic cotton. Made from flax, linen is highly breathable and becomes wonderfully soft over time. Its downside is that it costs more upfront, takes a few washings to soften, and wrinkles when laundered.
• If you can afford to splurge, silk sheets can be found on the Web or at luxury linen stores. But washable silk is expensive and may not last as long as cotton unless treated with great care.

Benefits…

…to you and your health
Sheets made of natural materials are breathable and comfortable. Plus, they can help you sleep better.

…to the Earth
Natural fibers are renewable. If you buy those that are grown organically (without pesticides or synthetic fertilizers), you’ll spare the environment that toxic burden.

Related Products & Services

• Beds and Bedding
• Mattress and Pillow Covers
• Pillows
• Blankets, Comforters, and Quilts
• Mattresses, Box Springs, and Bed Frames

There’s nothing better for drifting off to sleep than a nice, warm bed in a cool room. You may even want your window open for fresh air, which will require your bed to be even warmer during the winter months. There are three good ways to turn on that kind of heat: with blankets, comforters, and quilts.

Blankets provide warmth with a single layer of woven or felted material. Quilts and comforters (also called “duvets”) have a cover and a filling. The difference between the two is that quilts are generally thinner and have layers of batting (sheets of stuffing) inside, and comforters have a fluffier filling. In stores, the term “blanket” is sometimes used to refer to all three.

Quilts have a long history of being green. Traditionally, they were stitched by hand by women at home from fabric scraps and cut-up worn clothing. Quilting also brought women together for “quilting bees,” where they’d talk while they all stitched a single quilt together, sometimes making an everyday object into a work of art. While ready-made quilts are widely available today, sewing your own would be even greener.

Top Tips

When shopping look for

• Quality materials.Your natural-fiber blanket, comforter, or quilt should be soft and flexible, conforming to every contour of your body.
  • lightweight and breathable—you’ll be most comfortable if moisture can escape easily.
  • hypoallergenic, meaning resistant to mold and dust mites.
• Organic cotton. When choosing cotton products, favor organic cotton if available and your budget allows for it. Organic cotton is healthier for the earth because no pesticides are used while growing it.
• Just the right amount of warmth. Choose bed covers that are cool enough in the summer and warm enough in the winter so you can use minimal air conditioning or heating energy while you sleep.

Avoid

• Wired warmth. Think twice about using electric blankets or electric mattress warmers; why use fossil fuels when the right bed covers will keep you cozy and unplugged?

Other Considerations

Blankets

• Warm wool. Sheep wool is the traditional blanket material. Wools from mohair and alpaca—and blends—are also used to add warmth or softness. A wool blanket can last for decades with proper care, and can even be handed down from generation to generation.
• Cool cotton. Cotton blankets come in various weights and weaves. For summer, you can use a cotton blanket as thin as a flannel sheet. A cotton “thermal” blanket has an open weave that acts as an insulation material, trapping body heat when covered with another blanket. Some cotton blankets are as soft as cashmere. Most cotton blankets are washable. With blankets and all cotton products, choose organic whenever possible.
• Other fibers. Blankets can be made of any natural fiber. Bamboo blankets are very soft; linen blankets very durable.

Quilts & comforters

• Cotton. Cotton is the traditional filling for quilts. Additional sheets of it are used to make comforters. Cotton doesn’t have as much loft as some other comforter fillings, so it’s not as warm.
• Down. Down comforters come in different weights and blends of down and feathers that affect both warmth and price. When buying a down comforter, you’ll choose among fill “power ratings” from 600 to 800. The higher the rating, the warmer and more durable the comforter. Fill type also dictates quality, price, and convenience.
• Wool. A wool comforter is even warmer than a wool blanket, because its curly fiber filling is excellent at trapping and retaining body heat.
• Silk. With insulating properties similar to down, silk is hypoallergenic, less bulky, and more lightweight. It’s also breathable, making silk comforters comfortable in a wide temperature range. Thin silk comforters are used even in the summer.
• Hemp. The most long-lasting fiber, hemp can be used on the inside and the outside of a comforter. Due to the fiber’s hollow core and superior insulating ability, a hemp comforter is light but warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

Benefits…

…to you and your health
Blankets and comforters made from natural fibers are comfortable and provide better airflow than synthetics, which allows you to sleep better. Since our bodies repair and regenerate during sleep, good sleep leads to good health.

…to your wallet
If you have a warm bed you won’t have to heat up your bedroom as much in the winter—so you’ll save energy.

…to the Earth
Synthetic materials are usually made from nonrenewable petrochemicals. Natural-fiber blankets and comforters are made from renewable agricultural products. The right bedding—maybe a lightweight organic cotton blanket for the summer and a warm wool comforter for the winter—can help reduce your contribution to climate change by reducing your reliance on air conditioning and heating while you get some shuteye.

Common Mistakes

• Using a cotton comforter in a damp climate. High humidity reduces cotton’s ability to retain warmth.
• Using a down comforter in a warm climate. However luxurious and comfy it looks, a down comforter can be overkill in a warm climate.

Getting Started

Take an inventory of the blankets, quilts, and comforters. You may find you already have at least some of what you need tucked away in a closet somewhere. Take your discards to a used clothing store, to help keep others warm.

Related Products and Services

• Beds overview
• Sheets
• Mattress and Pillow Covers
• Pillows
• Mattresses, Box Springs, and Bed Frames