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Green Pillow Talk
If you are looking for a way to make a big change in the look and feel of a room without breaking the bank, try adding new throw pillows.  They are a great inexpensive way to add color, texture and personality to a room.  We typically think of throw pillows as a sofa item, but you don't have to stop there.  Why not try some on a bed or mud room bench?  There are a lot of spots that can be brightened up with a splash of color and comfort.  

Whether you switch out old pillows or just add some new ones, consider getting ones made from earth-friendly materials.  You can find throw pillows made from many reused materials, organic cottons, organic wools and hemp.  You can also look for pillows with inserts made from recycled plastic bottles, which means your new pillows can be green inside and out.  

What Makes It Green?
Ensuring that your pillow casings and inserts are organic and all natural helps reduce the amount of chemicals and toxins that you, your family and friends come in contact with.  Toxic gasses emit from VOCs (volatile organic compounds), which are found in synthetic and chemically treated fabrics and foam inserts.  These harmful gasses can cause irritation of the eyes, nose, throat, headaches, fatigue and dizziness. Long-term exposure can also prompt more chronic conditions and diseases like asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis; and potentially even respiratory disease, heart disease and cancer.

Buying products made from recycled plastic bottles also helps the planet.  The average American uses 168 plastic water bottles per year and the majority of those bottles end up in landfills.  When plastic is dumped in a landfill, it stays there for a very long time.  An average plastic bottle takes between 450 and 1000 years to biodegrade.  What a waste when it could be recycled and used to make something else.  

Americans throw out 38 billion empty water bottles a year, more than $1 billion worth of plastic.

I think that Alejandra Dunphy's organic throw pillows, with inserts made from recycled plastic bottles, are really fun.  She has a variety of styles and colors depending on your mood.  Choose from bright colors, neutrals, geometric patterns, playful designs and nature inspired shapes.  Check them all out at AlejandraDunphy.com.