Living green has never been easier with Danny Seo’s DVD, Simple Steps to a Greener Home. Filled with practical, stylish, and eco-friendly advice, this 69-minute presentation will leave you feeling empowered and excited about improving your living space. As promised, the steps presented are simple yet effective, covering topics such as building green eco-accessories and using sun power. There is also a section on how to create a natural bedroom for a better sleep, and a chapter on reusing around the house. Special features discuss decorating tips, Danny Seo’s biography, and additional pointers from The Green Guide.

In this DVD, Seo makes green look easy as he shares his creative yet functional ideas that have propelled him to become an authority on modern, Earth-friendly living. With tips that cover flooring, restoration, remodelling, and recycling, Simple Steps to a Greener Home proves that our green living spaces can be both smart and sleek.

In the bedroom section we learn about organic bedding and wood furniture from sustainable forests, as well as how to prevent dust mites. Seo recommends that if we can only invest in one room in the house, it should be the bedroom, and particularly the bed where we sleep. (Ed. note: For a good example of quality bedding, see page 94.)

In an interesting experiment, Seo dissects a regular department store pillow next to some eco-friendly ones, and runs through the differences between the mainstream synthetic material on one pillow and the healthier organic options of the others. The results from his assessment of used down pillows are shocking. Ten per cent of the weight of a two-year-old down pillow can be comprised of dead mites and their droppings. Down pillows, though soft, are the ideal breeding ground for dust mites. Hemp pillows are an excellent alternative. Hemp fibers are stronger, yet surprisingly soft. They are also more absorbent and more mildew-resistant than cotton. Other options include buckwheat pillows (ideal for people with neck problems) and ingeo fibre pillows (derived from corn and comparable in price to a polyester pillow). You’ll never want lay your head on anything polyester again.

In terms of furniture, environmentally friendly yet colourful options that are both healthy and stylish are beginning to enter the market. Eco-friendly furniture is made without the chemicals and toxins usually present in mainstream furniture, such as formaldehyde. Formaldehyde in furniture is generally used as a preservative in wood glue and has been linked to nasal and lung cancer. The alternative would be a water based, non-toxic wood glue.

As far as clothing goes, there are now interesting alternative fabrics on the market. Eco-friendly velvet is created with a combination of wool and organic cotton, free of pesticides and herbicides. And naturally-dyed silk was introduced by an individual who lived in Vietnam for many years and established a solid working relationship with community-based silk production.

One more great tip that is often overlooked is the effectiveness of the ordinary houseplant. Plants purify the air around your house and come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and low maintenance options. Seo recommends tropical plants that don’t necessarily need to be placed in direct sunlight, but can survive quite well in dark corners. Plants should never be placed in a drafty or windy area, as this reduces their ability to eliminate toxins. Succulent plants are a low maintenance option that don’t require as much watering. Some popular succulents include sedums, red succulents and aloe. Use tepid water when watering your plants and remember that it’s easier to damage your plants by over-watering than under-watering!

Lifestyle expert Danny Seo is a best-selling author and the former host of Simply Green, a weekly sustainable living talk show on Sirius Satellite Radio. As an eco-stylist, Seo has worked with some of Hollywood’s biggest celebrities in the areas of environmentally-friendly fashion and green home renovations. His work has received rave reviews by Food & Wine, Elle, Vanity Fair and Country Home. Seo has also assisted in raising money for eco-charities.

Simple Steps to a Greener Home is part of the Gaiam Media DVD series. For more information on this and other DVDs, visit http://life.gaiam.com.