Eco Redecorating IdeasPart 3
Following on from Part 3 - of the Part 2 - Eco Repainting, this article is Part 3 - Eco Redecorating Ideas, and looks at 'reuse' when decorating your home. Step 7 – ReuseEco Redecorating Ideas: Dig out old paint pots from the garage or shed. Reuse what you can when redecorating. Use left over emulsion as the first coat on the walls and ceiling if the colour isn’t too strong, this will save buying double the amount of new paint. If you want to use up you old paints and they aren’t quite the right colour then you could add other paint colours – mix them up and create your very own bespoke colour choice! Alternatively you can buy a universal base colour from your local trade decorating centre to mix with your left over pots.
You will only need a small amount of dark paint mixed to make a darker shade and so you will also need a larger amount of lighter coloured paint to make a lighter shade. Remember that once you have mixed the paints, you will not be able to recreate that colour again – so be sure to mix the right amount for the job needed.
Failing all of this don’t let paint pots sit in your garage or shed, speak to friends, family, work colleagues and neighbours to see if they would use any leftovers. Avoid throwing it away as this creates unnecessary waste in landfill sites and pollutes the environment. As a last resort, check with your local council about hazardous household waste disposal, they may have facilities for paints and finishes.
CautionThis is where your eco decorator decision making skills come into play. You can choose between the following:
A) Put your health and wellbeing first. Choose to dispose (whether donating to another person to use up or not) of the old paint pots, and opt for organic paint which is made from mineral and vegetable extracts so that your health is not affected by VOCs and other chemical vapours – all hazardous. Added bonus here is that organic paint does not have such a high level of embodied energy prior to use.
B) Put the natural environment first. Choose to reuse your old paint pots so that you do not pollute the environment when you throw the old paint away, create added waste in landfill sites and encourage manufacture of new paint which has a high negative effect on the environment. Although in the short term this does not effect your health and wellbeing, longer term the effects of climate change and air/earth/water pollution will.
Eco decorating decisions - Lots to think about!
This is down to your personal eco preference. There isn’t usually a perfect 'eco decorating' solution which benefits your health and wellbeing and that of our natural environment. Making informed decisions is the whole concept of green decorating and eco design.
I hope you have enjoyed reading my Eco Redecorating Ideas article, for reasons why you should not buy paint unless unavoidable please view my articles on 'interior eco finishes' which look at the manufacturing process and embodied energy of convetional paints and the eco alternatives out there.
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