‘Forest green’ home easy to create

Did you know your dining room table and your daily newspaper may be helping the environment? Find out how by visiting www.PlantItForward.com/RenewableHome to "tour" a virtual renewable home and discover easy tips to help make homes more "forest green." You'll also find surprising information that reveals how forest-friendly your home may already be.

Many people are aware of reuse and recycling efforts to help our planet, but this site informs about the little-known virtues of using products made from renewable resources, like forests, instead of nonrenewable resources, those which exist in limited amounts. In addition to many helpful family-friendly reuse and recycle tips, the site is also a wealth of information about the benefits of using renewable resources, like wood and paper, in our homes.

Wood and paper come from one of the Earth's greatest renewable resources, our forests, which continually replenish themselves, especially with proper management and care. The site recommends choosing wood and paper from certified sustainable forests, which are carefully managed by forest industry professionals. In fact, certified sustainable forests are one reason there are 12 million more acres of U.S. forests today than there were 20 years ago.

Just like the trees they are made from, the renewable resources of wood and paper continue to benefit the atmosphere. Wood and paper products, such as wood furniture or magazines, store carbon and keep it from being released into the atmosphere as long as they are in use. Plus, they can be recycled.

It is also good to know that millions of new trees are planted every day in the United States, more than making up for what is harvested to make these products.

The site suggests these easy ways to make a home forest green:

* If you can't reuse a box, recycle it. More than 75 percent of all corrugated packaging used in the U.S. is recovered for recycling.

* Save paper bags. You can reuse them for school lunches or turn them into book covers. Repurposing and recycling paper saves money and energy.

* Plant a tree. Besides adding beauty and value to your landscaping, trees act as natural air conditioners and windbreaks to keep your indoor climate more comfortable.

Find out more at www.PlantItForward.com/RenewableHome.

Information courtesy of Family Features