How to Go Green: Patio Furniture

Eco-friendly, short for environment friendly, is a practice used on manufacturing and other processes to limit the amount of damage done to the environment compared to traditional methods. However, you can't simply plop the same furniture indoors as you do outdoors because it is subject to damage from the weather. Rather, you need different furniture that is solely suited for all of the things nature may throw at it. Here are some tips on how to go green on the patio and make sure that what you pay for is worth the price.

Polywood
Polywood is an eco-friendly manufacturer that makes furniture, like lawn chairs and tables, for the patio. The furniture uses recyclables, like plastic milk jugs, along with wood to create a durable, sturdy creation that won't fall apart within a year. In addition, the materials are weather-resistant and the pieces come in six colors so you can add some color to your patio. Polywood furniture is also easy to clean; you only need a bit of soap and water to get any kind of insects or dirt off it. In fact, I bought a Polywood chair for my patio at my apartment. After it rains, it's not uncommon to see a couple of dead bugs on it or spiders crawling on it. Other residue is sometimes left on the chair - such is the toll of being outside twenty four hours a day. Either way, it's simple to clean: just throw some water on it and do a little scrubbing before it's all completely gone. Polywood makes a great choice for its simplicity and eco-friendly furniture choices.

Bamboo
Contrary to popular belief, bamboo is a grass, and one that grows incredibly fast too. It is sturdy, abundant, and can grow even during the most adverse conditions. What's great about bamboo for going green is that you don't have to kill trees, which you would do by purchasing wood, to have it in your house. Using less wood is a good thing because this means less deforestation around the world. Less deforestation means more trees which can do their job: eat up carbon dioxide, a main killer of out atmosphere, and release more oxygen. Bamboo is a great alternative to wood, and unlike what you'd expect, fashionable too!

Teak
Teak is also a great addition to your patio if you're planning to go green. Teak materials are generally very weather resistant, using natural oils to make sure that it is not subject to attrition. In addition, teak materials generally are harvested in sustainable growth plantations. This means that they're not damaging forests or contributing to the problem of deforestation. Instead, the process is strictly monitored to make sure that the safety of the environment is the first priority. Similarly, you don't have to worry about any offgassing from teak materials, whereas offgassing is common on most other new materials (think of the fresh new car smell). For these reasons, teak is a valuable option when deciding for eco-friendly patio furniture.

Durable Furniture
If you're having trouble finding the right green furniture, you can go to sleep at night knowing that, at least, you found durable furniture. If you buy furniture that can last the consistent beatings of weather, you've already gone, somewhat, green. By purchasing durable furniture, this means that it won't have to go to the dump any time soon. This also means that less energy will be used, because it actually costs energy to get rid of a piece of trash. Less energy used means less carbon dioxide and other toxic gases released into the atmosphere. So, don't fret: if you're having trouble, look for durable items to put on your patio as a last resort.

Source:
"Eco-Friendly Lawn Furniture, Just in Time for Summer." Eco-Furniture.