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On October 16, 2009, I had the very great privilege to listen to Dr. David Suzuki lecture at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto on Force of Nature. His message was very compelling.

I have been writing and speaking to urge people to make a difference in choosing green interior design. I believe that our small actions do make a difference and we should continue look for more opportunities to make our actions count. David told me to "do what you can do" when I briefly met him as he signed my copy of his autobiography.

Dr. Suzuki's message was that individual actions only buy us some limited time. We need to tackle these issues on a global scale and we need to act now! He urged the audience to demand that our political leaders take action on the crucial climate change summit in Copenhagen in December. Only our leaders can create the climate so that both "economy" and "ecology" can thrive!

This alphabetical listing of sustainable interior design definitions

contains most of the important terms you will want to access for your resource library.  Look up the major seals and logos you see on products to find out if they are independent third party certified, if they are an industry association or if they are simply a logo made up for 'greenwashing' claims.

Dayle has spent over one hundred hours compiling this list for your simple pdf download, which you will find in the resources section of this website. http://www.daylelaing.com/environmental-green-resources.html

Dayle's 26 year old Kitchen Time to select green interior design for my new kitchen countertop,

after 26 years my builder-supplied kitchen countertop was worn out, to say nothing of being very dated. I have designed many kitchens over the years and this was the first time I had the thrill of tackling my own! This was “finally -- about time” according to several of my more candid designer friends!

The surface of the plastic laminate counter was in remarkably good shape for a family that likes to cook, but the particle board underneath was disintegrating around the faucet and under the front edge. So, what would be the ‘coolest shade of green’ for my family’s requirements?

There are many considerations when going for green interior design. Lifestyle and practicality have to feature prominently because if the client is unhappy with the results, rapid replacement is even worse than not considering ‘green’ to start with! I really like the easy care and zero maintenance of the engineered quartz products and started to research which one to choose. I prefer the appearance of granite but rejected it on the basis of 40 – 50% waste of the stone from quarry to finished slab and the quantity of water needed to cut the slabs, and what happens to that water afterward. The worry about stains from red wine and the annual resealing also influenced my decision. What other factors should I consider?

Historically we have pitted ourselves against nature and talked of ‘conquering’ nature. Dr. Braungart discussed this concept in “Cradle to Cradle”.

We are nature and nature is us. There is no “away” to send our used products to. So take a deep breath, and enjoy and respect nature. I just returned from a week long interior canoe trip in Killarney Provincial Park. There is no pursuit that I know that relaxes one more quickly than a canoe trip.

You might well wonder what a world-famous German chemist and professor has to say about the sustainability of interior design products and the state of our environment. Is this more doom and gloom, or is this a refreshing message of hope?

Thankfully, it is the latter. Dayle had the opportunity to listen to Dr. Michael Braungart speak to designers about ‘Cradle to Cradle’ at IIDEX, (International Interior Design Exposition) held in Toronto, Sept. 2008 where his message was, “We see a world of abundance, not limits.”

Co-author of “Cradle to Cradle”, and co-founder of MBDC (McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry), Dr. Braungart regaled us with uplifting stories and amid some dire warnings. Most encouraging is his premise that simply going after zero growth, zero emissions and stopping all consumption is the most efficient, but not the most efficacious answer.  He cited the example of bringing flowers to your sweetheart not being efficient, but certainly it is effective!

Dr. Braungart said...

Do you feel like you are alone in your efforts to choose green interior design? 

Actually you are in good company and you are not a round peg in a square hole!

It is estimated that 1/3 of the population of North America  is a ‘conscious consumer’ and wants to select the most sustainable products and to make their carbon footprint more beneficial.

Fortunately, there are an increasing number of beautiful alternatives for sustainable design, many of which do not cost more, and some of which are a small premium. As we demand more sustainable, recycled and organic products, manufacturers will be inspired to fill the demand.  Innovations on the possibilities are endless!

To learn how you can make a difference by booking a one-hour seminar, a day or a half-day workshop, please contact the office to reserve your date. info@daylelaing.com