The workplace is an extension of themselves, writes the American chef Anthony Bourdain between the pages of his best-selling Kitchen Confidential, culinary adventures in New York. In fact, it is just that: the desk of our office, which we spend a relatively important part of our day is about us.
And today the office can become a little greener, chasing the awareness that living green means improving our quality of life.
How to make office eco-friendly? To decorate the office in an eco-friendly of course you need to consider the kind of environment to design: the space that we occupy is for our or is it an office inside this company? Obviously, in the first case, the customization options appear to be greater, but also in the corporate office with a little creativity and maybe a little “feng shui” we can create the perfect habitat for work in a proof ecology.
First, render: begin to choose water-based paints. The water-soluble paints are eco-friendly, non-toxic nor flammable. In addition, with the help of the dealer, you can mix different shades in order to obtain wraparound shades of color, perhaps following the principles of color therapy, which will guide you to discover the different colors in order to learn the perfect match with the different moods.
According to chromotherapy, in fact, the colors clearly influence our mood, so the choice of the color of the walls, as well as creating an environment strongly characterized, will be critical to the mood of our days.
Second element: the furnishings. If you are building your practice, remember that some materials in a careful examination reveal toxicity data: for example, certain types of glue may contain formaldehyde, freeing the air, produce respiratory tract irritation, eye irritation, and contact dermatitis.
The paints used for the coating of furniture can also contend ammonia and benzene. Obviously free move in search of furniture that best communicates your idea of the office, but just pay attention to the quality and type of materials. And keep in mind that also means ecology eco-awareness: in addition to choosing materials of a certain type, we learn to rediscover the value of the craft, the precious beauty of the flea markets, the dexterity of a rare work in series but not giving importance to the work of the individual, made to last and be unique creation.
Wandering in flea markets you can find great prices to reuse old tables as desks, wooden chairs and furniture of various kinds, to reuse and rearrange with a bit of DIY, color, and imagination. You might even discover a new hobby!
Cardboard, wool, recycled aluminum, paper, and why not? Even and especially re-objects manipulated by us. For the lighting in your office, you could choose eco-friendly paper chandeliers, and of course low energy light bulbs. To conserve electricity remember to turn off electronic devices and unplug devices when not in use.
Minimize the consumption of paper, today much of the communication can take place via cable, thanks to the computer and this marks a significant result in favor of forests.
Obviously, that is your office or company, in a location that eco-friendly cannot miss the green and revitalizing touch of Mother Nature: Plants! According to some studies, cacti and succulents would help to reduce the concentration of volatile organic compounds in the air and would be a valuable aid against electrosmog.
Similar properties are also highlighted in the gerbera, a very colorful flower that seems to reduce the concentration of formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, protecting us from the exhalations of the heating and cigarette smoke. Even in an office shared a bonsai on the desktop will not be a hindrance to anyone, on the contrary, it will be able to raise a smile at the thought of miniature forest in front of your eyes.
The relationship with the workplace is feeling a delicate balance: the challenge of living eco runs in the direction of the subtle art of combining ethics and aesthetics. Good job!
