Simple Steps to a Greener Home

I'm always looking for good advice on making my home healthier for my family. In that pursuit, I recently purchased and viewed Danny Seo's Simple Steps to a Greener Home. I thought I'd read pretty much everything on the the subject, but was pleasantly surprised at how much interesting and useful information I learned. Following is a review of sorts for those looking for some good advice:

If you’re looking to gain a broad view of green design in a short amount of time, this DVD is perfect for that. If you’re more interested in delving deep into a specific category like how and where to shop for organic bedding, you won’t find all you need here.

This DVD is a small time commitment (a little over an hour) and features a compilation of green living tips that cover five areas:

• Building Green
• Eco Accessories
• A Natural Bedroom for Better Sleep
• Using Sun Power
• Re-use and Re-define

Overviews of each category are pretty general, but also manage to highlight some good specifics and interesting artisans along the way like the men at Scrapile in Brooklyn who use discarded scrap wood from construction projects to make beautiful and unique furniture.

Danny Seo, a lifestyle expert who's made a name for himself as an author and the former host of Simply Green, is an engaging host who has a thorough and fluid understanding of the sustainable market. Rather than appearing scripted, he seems to be chatting off the top of his head about easy ways to make your home a little greener. Like a good friend who you trust for good advice. The host uses simplicity, sustainability and affordability as his touchstones – concepts that are near and dear to the heart of anyone attempting to be a little greener without going broke or crazy.

The DVD effectively uses a text box in the lower right of the screen to highlight technical trivia bits that lend credibility to what the host is saying. For example, in a segment about using plants to clean your indoor air, the screen displays a statistic from NASA comparing indoor air pollution to outdoor air pollution. Very convincing.

The portions I found most useful were:

• · Recommendations on choosing low VOC paint
• · Advice on choosing indoor houseplants that are low maintenance
• · How to choose a natural pillow for your bed

Portions I found interesting, but not as relatable were:

• · A tour of an organic farm that uses sun power
• · A tour of a factory that makes toilet paper from discarded scrap paper

Don’t skip the special features – there are some simple and fun DIY projects that are worth trying.

You’ll come away from this DVD with a superficial understanding of the materials available in the market, the chemicals to avoid, and a list of easy things you can do to make your home a little greener. You’ll also come away from this DVD wanting more information on the portions that piqued your interest. And you’ll wonder if that recycled toilet paper is really a good idea.

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