Nature.is

The Bedroom – Furniture

In the bedroom the bed itself is usually the most important type of furniture. A good bed, whether for one person or two, has to be both strongly built and comfortable. The quality of the mattress itself is also of primary importance.

It is possible to buy Swan-labelled mattresses made from pure natural fabric. Those mattresses breathe very well and last a whole lifetime. There is a considerable variety on the market of all kinds of “health mattresses”, water mattresses and tempur mattresses. Opinions are divided as to whether mattresses that are mainly made from synthetics can be considered healthy and whether it should not be the responsibility of the producer to accept such mattresses for disposal after they have been used.

Furniture is made of various  chemicals both from the plant- and the mineral kingdom such as wood, metals, glass, plant fibers, minerals and from various synthetics. It is mainly the synthetic chemicals that we have to learn to avoid. Not only can the evaporation of certain chemicals be detrimental to health but the environmental impact can be considerable. More than a 100.000 chemicals are used in various types of production in the world today, and many of them have not been adequately tested before they were put into production. Also it is valid that things that are harmless in a certain quantity can be harmful in connection with other chemicals or in larger amounts.

If we take furniture made of wood as an example, then it is important from an environmental point of view that the forest has been sustainably cultivated. Furniture marked with the label of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) are certainly not made from rainforest timber, but have their origin in sustainably managed forests. Corc is considered to be one of the natural materials which can be considered environmentally friendly, especially when he is made from recycled cork. PVC-floor material is however under no circumstances to be considered an healthy option nor environmentally friendly.When it is intended to buy furniture for the bedroom it is advisable to buy solid objects that last. As a buyer you have the right to know where the materials the furniture is made of comes from. Check that the upholstery doesn’t contain toxins and that fake-leather used doesn’t contain PVC. It is not rude to ask questions in stores. In order to change the market, consumers have to start asking questions and making demands. Otherwise nothing will ever change.

Old furniture can also be useful after you no longer need it. There is therefore no reason to throw the furniture thoughtlessly away. The Icelandic utility market “Góði hirðirinn” – the good shepherd gladly accepts all kinds of furniture and sells it in the shop “góði hirðirinn” or gives the furniture away to those in need. Utility containers can be found on all Sorpa recycling stations and in the various municipalities. Sorpa accepts old mattresses with springs in special containers but they are then disposed of in landfills because they cannot be shredded or cut down due to the fact that they destroy the machinery.  If the mattresses are soft and do not contain springs they can be put in the Red Cross containers because the Red Cross shreds and uses the material.

It is also possible to advertise old furniture for sale, and to get some money or give it away to friends and relatives. The last option should be landfilling in any case.

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