Greenwashing and How to Avoid It

With the increased focus worldwide on taking better care of our planet and preserving our natural resources, marketing campaigns have started to focus on sustainability as a selling point in many fields. This is an awesome move if the company really is an active advocate for preserving water, energy and the like; however, many times companies toss a green marketing claim to consumers based on little to no actual action. Customers who fall for these claims and purchase advertised products from companies who aren't actually green are doing little to help save our planet and, in reality, may be unwillingly doing more harm than good. We call this "greenwashing."

Fortunately, greenwashing is a villain that can be stopped relatively easily if consumers are careful and pay close attention to products they purchase. The most accurate way to avoid being greenwashed is to properly research "green" products before purchasing. If your favorite detergent company has just launched a green cleaner, take the time to check facts about what exactly makes this new detergent qualify as green.

On this same note, avoiding greenwashing is about more than just ensuring that you buy holistic products. The idea behind going green requires that we do everything in our power to reduce the carbon footprint each of us leaves on the world. In this way, we can directly save many of the non-renewable resources we're currently flying through. That said, even if a product really is "green" on the consumer side, if the company is required to use more energy and produce more waste in order to create the product, perhaps promoting its production isn't the best thing for our planet. Just like you research your products, research the companies who make them. Are they really following a green initiative or just trying to make a buck off the good efforts of others?

I'm very happy to see the overwhelming number of new environmentally friendly options on the market, but remember the reason for these products. If we aren't actually conserving the earth's resources, perhaps these campaigns are less "green" and more "greenwash."

by Anjie Cho

How to Arrange a Compact Teen Bedroom

featured this month on Houzz by Eva Byrne

A teen bedroom is a place of refuge, a private retreat from family life. You’ll need to provide somewhere to sleep, somewhere to study and somewhere to store clothes. With clever planning, you can accommodate these needs in even the tiniest of spaces. Think in terms of a ship’s cabin to squeeze the most out of every available centimetre.

When planning your family home, it’ll do no harm to think ahead to this stage from the outset, so radiators and wardrobes are in the best spots for the optimum teen layout.

Max the make-up

A teen girl will always appreciate even the tiniest of dressing tables. Your bathroom will thank you, too, with one less demand on its use.

Slip a narrow table within the run of wardrobes, perhaps near the window to maximise that all-important light. Add strong artificial light for night-time use, and, of course, a large mirror. A drawer beneath the dressing table would be handy for lotions and potions.

...read full article

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Q&A Sunday: What Color Should I Paint My Front Door?

How do you know which color to paint your front door? 

Teri G., New York, NY

Hi Teri,

This is a question that comes up a lot! And I'm going to throw that question right back at you, because it really depends...on you. There is no magic perfect color, but I’ll go through some guidelines and ways to approach this decision.

First thought, best thought

What is the color you want to paint the front door? What’s the first color that arises right now? Remember: first thought, best thought. Don’t overthink it. It may just be the color that works best for you. 

Mundane matters too

Now think about the color that popped into your consciousness for your door color. Let’s look at this practically. Does it fit with the rest of the house? Colors have countless variations that can probably work with your home, and that’s where a designer can help you to find the option that works best. 

Have fun with it!

But it’s also okay if the color is maybe a little out of place. First of all, it’s just paint - you can always repaint the front door. Second, I'd like to share a story my teachers have told about Professor Lin Yun (founder of BTB Feng Shui). He told one of his clients to paint their whole house exterior purple! Now this is pretty extreme, and this person ended up becoming the talk of the neighborhood, which in turn created a huge business boom. I’m not suggesting you should paint your whole house fluorescent yellow, but you can have fun with the door and remember that painting a front door is not a huge commitment. You can always repaint it!

Try red or black

Red and black painted doors are good basic go-to’s for front door colors in feng shui. Red is auspicious and can attract life energy. Black also absorbs and also brings in positive qi. But this is the “Barnes and Noble” answer!

The mouth of Qi

With all of the above considerations, remember that your front door represents the mouth of qi. This is where energy from the world can enter your home and life. Maybe you do want a door that blends into the rest of your home and looks dignified and subtle. Or maybe you want to attract some energy, in which case a bright red door could look great and do wonders for your opportunities. Now we've come full circle to the first thing I mentioned, which is that the color really depends on you and your life circumstances!

In some areas of the home, there are certainly colors you might want to avoid. All black in any room can make a space feel smaller, and red in a bathroom can make relaxation difficult. But when it comes to the front door, anything is fair game. It's such a small area it can easily be repainted. Put some thought on your decision, and be willing to take a chance on trying a new color!

by Anjie Cho 

Thanks for reading our "Q&A Sunday".  We will be answering questions submitted by our readers. Click here to submit any Feng Shui or Green Design questions!