The Healthy Home Workbook: Easy Steps for Eco-Friendly Living by Kimberly Rider
“Your home is your haven, your retreat, your sanctuary from the outside world,” writes interior designer and environmentalist Kimberly Rider, so every choice you make when you create your home also creates an opportunity: to inspire an environment where you can relax, rejuvenate, feed, nurture and shelter your family and yourself.
Rider's book tries to help you do just that. In seven broadly defined chapters – like living areas and entryways, work & play, and the great outdoors – it identifies ways you can get “instant gratification” from taking a simple eco-step to being more ambitious in converting some aspect of your home to a much greener version of its current self. For example, in your living area, you can get “instant gratification” by using natural-fiber area rugs strategically. If you're “more committed,” you can choose organic wool, hemp, sisal, jute or coir in place of synthetic, wall-to-wall carpet. If you want a “truly healthy home,” select eco-friendly wood floors from sustainably managed forests or salvaged wood sources.
This book is a luxury to read for several reasons. Chapters are short, so if you're tight on time, you can pick it up and read a quick section without feeling like you're left hanging in the middle of something important. It's got a spiral binding, so it's easy to prop open on your lap or desk if you want to take notes or cover a page with sticky notes. And it's full of colorful sidebars and exquisite photographs, making it very easy on the eyes.
Enjoy!
