Green Sleep
Although I'm a certified green geek, I really never gave much thought to the environmental or health impacts from my mattress choices. A recent Minneapolis Star Tribune article on green mattress shopping outlined the issues. The main concerns are environmental effects of raw materials and potential health effects from chemicals used in manufacturing.
Manufacturers use either foam or springs in mattress cores. Springs are springs but shoppers have some choice on the source of the foam. Most foam is made from petroleum products. Natural latex, harvested from rubber trees, is a green option. At first, shipping latex from southeast Asia or Africa didn’t seem very green to me but we are shipping petroleum from all over the world so the impact of shipping may be a wash.
Federal safety rules require mattresses to resist open flames, leading to the addition of flame retardant chemicals to mattresses. Many of these substances have been linked to potential human health effects, although it's close to impossible to prove a direct link. Wool is naturally flame resistant and a greener option.
National Geographic's Green Guide has a good summary of the issues and product comparison information if you're in the market for a new mattress. Any green mattress owners out there? Drop a comment and share your thoughts.
Comments