By Jenny Jedeikin
When you buy a decorative tabletop piece, "don’t chose something that’s going to have a planned obsolescence and end up in the garbage landfill," advises Anna Sova. "Americans consume 60% of the worlds’ goods, and we should all do the planet a good deed, by purchasing something sustainable."
Fortunately, from stores like
3R Living in New York City to
Branch Home in San Francisco, there are numerous decorative items to choose from which will biodegrade into the earth one day, instead of ending up clogging a landfill.
Ornamental bowls from sustainable scraps, embroidered wool felt pillows, and decorative balls made from pussy willows and twigs, will evoke a beautifully natural look in your new environmentally friendly living space. And if you’re burning candles, look for 100% soy based candles, which don’t emit toxins.
If you do choose non-biodegradable decorative items, pick ones which are made from recycled materials. They are from a non-profit company called The S.P.I.R.A.L. Foundation (
spiralfoundation.org), and are woven from recycled plastic wrappers by women and children in Nepal, who dug through the trash to create something beautiful. "I had been looking for silver place mats for the longest time," says the environmentalist, who has never compromised her design integrity. "We can obtain the exact look we want, without sacrificing the environment, if we all apply a certain level of ecology."
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