How to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint With Resin Furniture By Tonya Kerniva At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

Choosing the right patio set is not an easy decision. Wood and metal are classic choices, but aside the risk or rot and rust, they can be overwhelmingly expensive, hard to maintain, and too heavy to move. Nylon and thin plastics are cheaper, but flimsy. The best way to go is to choose resin furniture, a strong plastic that can be made to look like real wood, is easy to clean, lift, and store, and comes with far less sticker shock. One of the best things about resin is that much of it is nowadays made from recycled materials, so you can go green in style.

A lot of outdoor resin furniture is made using 100% post consumer recycled HDPE. This is a high density polyethylene found in packaging, most recognizably in milk jugs, but also in detergent bottle, margarine tubs, and garbage cans. HDPE is melted down into a sort of plastic lumber that’s then repurposed for furniture. Every pound of recycled HDPE roughly equates to eight milk jugs worth. That’s eight less milk jugs in a landfill somewhere.

Some furniture is also made using Richlite OCC. It’s 50% old corrugated cardboard (OCC) blended with 50% Pacific Northwest softwood pulp. It boasts a natural fibrous appearance because of its paper-composition and does well outdoors with little maintenance required. It can also commonly be found in kitchen countertops because of its resistance to heat and moisture. Richlite OCC possesses a naturally rich warm color that does not require dying or paint.

Some companies even go so far as to green their production methods as well. To offset carbon emissions generated by shipping of resin furniture and products, businesses can engage in renewable and energy efficient methods, reforestation projects, or by supporting national organizations like Carbon Fund. If enough is done to offset one’s carbon emissions, a business (or individual) can claim to be carbon neutral.

Also along the lines of shipping, the packaging of products can produce just as much waste as the products themselves, waste that ends up building up in landfills. A way to counter this is the use recycled cardboard boxes and padding. By pairing recycled cardboard with recycled resin furniture, no new materials are being employed. In addition, the smaller the boxes used, the less expensive the shipping costs and the more that can fit on one trip via truck, plane, or boat. Some shipping companies themselves, including UPS, have begun to engage in eco-initiatives.

Even if you can’t find recycled resin furniture where you live, new resin furniture is still a great buy. Opting for plastic over wood cuts down on deforestation and the destruction of natural habitats. Plus, resin lasts for life, so you won’t have to throw away and purchase a new set every few years. Greening one’s life doesn’t have to mean giving up little luxuries. Using energy efficient light bulbs and energy saving appliances not only helps the environment, it also reduces your monthly bills. If everyone does their part, life will be a little greener for the generations upon generations to come.

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