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ECO-LUXURY™ Furniture Line Unveiled by Green Designer Debi Bodinus

Written by Sheryll Alexander

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. – Award-winning green interior designer Debi Bodinus (www.4greendesign.com) has unveiled her all-new ECO-LUXURY™ line of truly green upholstered furniture.

The D’Bodinus ECO-LUXURY™ furniture line is sold by retail furniture stores, Eco-boutiques and interior designers. “Every facet of the D’Bodinus ECO-LUXURY™ line has been meticulously researched and sourced for a truly eco-friendly solution to upholstered furniture,” says Bodinus.“Finally, design style, flair and attention to detail do not need to be compromised by going green.”

Each piece in the D’Bodinus ECO-LUXURY™ furniture collection is composed of non-toxic, chemical-free, earth-friendly materials such as FSC Certified wood, 100 percent rubber latex foam, eco-wool, no VOC’s water-based glues and 95%recycled steel springs. Her ECO-LUXURY™ upholstery selections include organic and chemical-free textiles including linen, cotton, hemp, wool and bamboo.

Bodinus was recently awarded two prestigious awards from the Building Industry Association, including the Grand Award for Hawaii BuiltGreen Residential Remodel and the Carl Reppun Grand Award for Residential Remodel. “I have refined green interiors with award-winning design, luxurious comfort and eco-friendly production,” says Bodinus.

According to the US Green Building Council, today’s interior environments consume half of the world’s materials and resources, use twice as much energy and emit twice the amount of carbon dioxide as all of the cars on the road in the U.S.

“Through using strict processing guidelines, I have created truly green upholstered furniture that is void of the harmful chemical toxins typically found in any standard upholstered piece of furniture,” says Bodinus. “These chemical toxins can cause allergic reactions, asthma or more serious health problems. All these toxic chemicals out-gas into the air that fills our homes and buildings, which may be absorbed into our lungs and through our skin,” she adds.

Bodinus was inspired to become a green designer a decade ago when she learned of the effects of harsh chemicals contained in most building and interior materials and products. After losing her brother to lung cancer, Debi became deeply committed to designing only green projects.

“I am no longer willing to design an environment that is harmful to my client’s health and the planet,” she says. With this mission in mind, Debi launches D’Bodinus ECO-LUXURY™ through creating natural, beautiful environments, which combines her award-winning design skills, signature line of ECO-LUXURY™ furnishings and sustainable, green materials.

Her commitment to purely green products and materials reflect a new level of concern being woven into the world we create for a healthier future. For example, Bodinus says her recent project in Hawaii, which won BIA’s Grand Award for Hawaii BuiltGreen Residential Remodel and the Carl Reppun Grand Award for Residential Remodel, was created using these green products and materials:

Custom-designed ECO-LUXURY™ upholstered furniture
Borate-treated lumber to ward off termites
Formaldehyde-free wall insulation
Natural Tiger wood posts and railings
Low e-glass windows and doors
Natural stone, cork and glass flooring
Lime plaster wall treatments
VOC-free paints
Energy-efficient LED lighting
Natural wood countertops
Organic beds and bedding
Energy Star-rated appliances
Low flow plumbing fixtures

“This all adds up to a peaceful, healthy home that not only increases one’s sense of well being, but also decreases energy consumption and costs with an increase in resale value,” says Bodinus. “Our homes especially provide a naturally safe, serene haven in which one can relax, restore and rejuvenate.”

Bodinus’ newest green business venture is Eco babyLuv™, a line of exclusively designed green baby furnishings and organic products, which are safe for baby and the planet.

For more information about Debi Bodinus and D’BODINUS ECO-LUXURY™, visit www.4greendesign.com.

About Green Designer Debi Bodinus & D’BODINUS ECO-LUXURY™
Debi Bodinus is an award-winning interior designer based in Newport Beach and Hawaii whose portfolio includes high-end residential, restaurant, commercial and hotel projects such as Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. Along with her recently-debuted D’Bodinus ECO- LUXURY™ upholstered furniture line, she offers architectural planning, interior design and complete project management. She is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council and an Adopter of the Designers Accord, which is a global coalition of design and innovation firms focused on working together to create positive environmental and social impact.

CONTACT:
Sheryll Alexander

(908)489-6024

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Take the Paperless Challenge

Written by Julie Urlaub

Businesses and individuals across the country are looking for ways to cut costs during these challenging economic times. With small business resources strained most look to cut the most visible expenses: travel, operating expenses, and so forth.

One path to cost reduction is looking at the underlying, seemingly unconscious processes and habits that we do daily. Companies interested in reducing cost and building business sustainability are taking the challenge to reduce their use of paper.

In our sustainability consulting, we encourage clients to identify all the activities in their business that utilize paper. The obvious comes to mind like printers, copiers, mail, collateral, but dig deep here and explore other areas of your business.

How much paper do you use for events, trade shows, invoicing, literature, packaging, shipping materials?
What about the kitchen areas and bathrooms? Remember, it's not just paper but paper products.
Consult with people in other departments and get a clear picture of the paper they are using, where it is coming from, when they are using it, and how they are using it.
You might want to talk to your purchasing department and learn more about how much you are spending on your paper products.

As a next step, employ the sustainability concept of the 3 R's: reduce, reuse, recycle.

Reduce your paper consumption by working with your purchasing department to reduce the amount of paper purchased and switch to buying recycled paper (100% post consumable is best).
Reuse paper by placing bins next to the copiers and printers for easy reuse of single sided scraped paper.
Recycle paper that has been used.

Simultaneous with these efforts, in our sustainability consulting, we suggest the use of online document management systems for your documents. Content Management Systems like the ones offered by WayPoint Technologies give you more than the environmental benefits of going paperless. They offer the ability to manage different types of data: emails, contracts, logos, reports, forms, drawings, web pages, blogs, etc. Their web based solutions enables satellite offices and remote employees to go paperless as well.

To win in taking the Paperless Challenge, it's important to articulate and communicate the vision, and the "how's" and "why's" of your plan. Communicate and train your staff regularly to monitor the success of the program.

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E-cards versus Paper Cards

Written by Administrator

e send sentiment to people in our lives that we care about. And Christmas is definitely a time were we want to connect and express our feelings to family and friends. It is important to let others know that we are thinking of them during the holidays. But should we send a paper card or an electronic one? Here are some pros and cons for each.

Paper cards

Paper greeting cards have been around for at least a hundred years. It is cheaper than a telephone call and people can choose to keep our sentiments if they wish. Christmas cards say what we would like to but can’t seem to put into words. The fun begins when we shop for the cards and choose just the right one for someone we care about. In that regard, Christmas cards meet a need. Many companies are striving to be more environmentally friendly by using recycled paper for their cards. The argument against recycled paper is that it is not as strong as virgin wood pulp. That may be a consideration for paper grocery bags but for cards, the strength is in the wording not what they are printed on. Purchasing greeting cards on recycled paper supports the recycling industry as a viable alternative to plastic and other materials.

On the other hand, after the holidays, paper cards end up in the trash along with wrapping paper and other items. Some people recycle but most throw everything away in the regular trash to get rid of it. This paper goes to the landfill and stays their indefinitely. Yes, paper is made from trees and trees are organic and therefore biodegradable. Unfortunately, in a landfill, the conditions are not appropriate for that kind of biodegradation to occur. Paper hands around as long as plastic in a landfill.

E-cards

The electronic card is the greatest innovation. It helps out those of us who forget to send out paper greeting cards in a timely fashion. An electronic card can be sent on December 23rd and arrive on the twenty-fourth. They make noise, show interactive scenes and can be personalized to say whatever we want.

Online, people get to choose from free card offerings or pay for more detailed cards for Christmas or the service to be able to send cards at any time and for any occasion. E-cards can be saved on the computer and viewed as many times as you want.

Electronic card programs eliminate the need to go to the store for cards. Some people use those. These cards can be created and sent to others. People do print them out and that contributes to the trash situation in the landfill.

Which is better, e-cards or paper? That is up to you. Be responsible with your choices and instead of throwing out those paper cards, find creative ways to reuse them.

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Edible Tree Ornaments

Written by Administrator

hristmas belongs to everyone especially the children. Most of the memories that we treasure for a lifetime are created during childhood. Help your kids to make memorable moments with edible ornaments. Edible ornaments are fun to make and even better to eat. One advantage of these ornaments is that there is less to pack away in containers once the holidays are over. These ornaments are biodegradable if the kids don’t get to them.

Start with the garland. Usually we string tinsel and other items that can be harmful to pets and children if they are eaten. In the early days of Christmas among the settlers, foods like popcorn and nuts were used for garland. Little treats could be placed on the tree that the kids could eat later.

Go back to the old ways and have the kids string a few strands of popcorn garland. Use their favorite popcorn flavors. You run the risk of more popcorn being eaten than strung but it is a chance you will have to take. Actually, stale popcorn is easier to string than freshly popped. Leave a bag or two of microwave popcorn sitting for a day or two and then begin decorating.

Pretzels can be strung as well. You won’t need a needle for this stringing procedure. Pretzels can be placed at intervals between the pieces of popcorn.

A popular tree ornament is candy canes. The red and white striped treats are a staple of Christmas. Now, they come in a variety of colors and flavors besides peppermint. Choose colors that complement your décor and color scheme for the Christmas tree.

They come individually wrapped so the candy can be shared with everyone after Christmas is over. In fact, if you have a Christmas party, let each child take a souvenir from your tree home to their tree.

Nuts can be glued together in the shape of a ball and hung like a Christmas bulb. Leave enough space to slip a piece of string or ribbon through the top and tie it to the tree branch. Since the shell is discarded anyway, a dab of Elmer’s glue won’t prevent eating them later.

Carefully choose which decorative edibles the kids can eat from the Christmas tree. For a fake tree, the branches are made of plastic and each ornament is safe for eating. With live trees, determine if the tree has been sprayed with anything to prevent bug infestation. Any small bugs or remnants of sprays can render the food inedible after coming in contact with it. In that case, use some sort of ornament hanger to keep the edible ornaments away from the tree branches and needles. Edible ornaments are fun to make. Shellac the ones the kids want to keep so they are preserved for more Christmas memories.

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Eco Friendly Air Fresheners

Written by Administrator

o matter how we try to prevent it, our homes are full of smells. Some of them are good and some of them are not so pleasant. Using aerosol sprays only mask the smells and can give off something worse.

Try these five ideas to create air fresheners that help your home and the environment at the same time.

1Use potpourri. It is everywhere and people only bring it out during the holidays. But, the scent will get used up and the potpourri will look nice but do nothing to help the air. You can replace it at this point or use some natural scents to freshen it. Dried herbs and spices can be of help. Use some fresh cinnamon or nutmeg to add a new smell to the potpourri. Using a few sprigs of fresh mint or sprinkling dried mint on the potpourri not only adds fragrance but mint is a natural ant repellent.

2Essential oils can be used to scent the home. These natural oils come from plants and are non-toxic. Combine it with at least four parts of water in a spray bottle to spritz potpourri, silk flowers, and other natural arrangements in our home like holly leaf garland and pinecones. Avoid furniture because the oil can leave a film. If you notice that happening, add more water to your spray bottle.

3Fruits make a great smelling wreath for the home. Cut an orange, apple, and lemon into thin circles. Allow the fruit to dry on a cookie sheet. Overlay the fruit to create a wreath design. It can be attached to a wooden framework or some wire. To preserve the fruit, cover with a bit of shellac or floor wax. They last for several weeks and can be hung on any door to freshen the room. Some people even use whole fruits and pierce the top to let the smell come through.

4Beeswax candles are a natural air freshener. The candles give off a honey flavored scent that burns clean with no mess. Beeswax candles can be purchased in a variety of shapes and sizes. Avoid any color but the natural one if you want to remain eco friendly with the air freshener.

5Combine several different scents to create a dried bowl arrangement. These arrangements can be put in wooden shallow bowls or clear glass bowls so they are visible to everyone. For decoration, use some natural wooden filler that are sold at most craft stores. Add in some fresh dried herbs like mint, rosemary, or thyme. For a more seasonal smell, try some cinnamon sticks, fresh nutmeg, and some ground clove. Sit some beeswax pillar candles flat in the bowl as the centerpiece.

Are you looking for ways to freshen the air in your house? Use the above ideas to get started. When all else fails, bake a pie.

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