We spend a third of our lives sleeping, if you can believe it.
Sleeping is something we do to maintain appropriate levels of cognitive skills such as speech, memory and so on, and thus keeping our brains healthy.
It's also a time when many of life's most intimate moments happen; such as cuddling with a loved one, conceiving our children, stroking a family dog, or drinking tea with a partner while the sun streams in on a beautiful summer morning.
Given that sleeping, and indeed the role of the bed is so important in our lives, it's amazing then how many of us buy cheap and ethically irresponsible beds that harm the earth, as well as do little to give us a decent nights sleep.
These days, more and more people are thinking about buying eco bedding, either in the form of organic unsprayed cotton mattresses, natural goose down quilts and duvets, or even in the bed itself.
Eco beds are generally made of wood but when choosing one you want to make sure the wood comes from sustainable sources.
Organic wood is a rather nebulous concept actually since little sprays are used on forestry in any case, but the important thing is to make sure the trees are replanted after being felled.
ideally with two or more saplings for one felled mature tree, to balance out the carbon.
In the UK the organisation that generally approves sustainable wood is called FSC or the Forest Stewardship Council.
They're an excellent organisation and if you see their symbol on an eco bed you can be sure it's from an ethical source.
Other people use found or foraged wood, like driftwood from the beach to construct their eco beds.
This is another lovely natural way to find worn and organic pieces of timber to base ones constructions on.
When selecting natural bedding, also make sure the glues and varnishes are of an ecological origin, and if possible that the wood is locally sourced.
FSC have something they call the Forest Certification Resource Center, which has a searchable database of suppliers and companies that are currently making and selling certified wood furniture.
Find this on the web, or search for local carpenters near you and request that they source some sustainable timber to make the right bed for you and your family.
With these choices in mind, you'll find a bed that'll last many lifetimes, and you can pass down to your grandchildren with the sure knowledge that your actions haven't cost the earth.
You may even longer to see them grow up, with these health giving and responsible shopping choices in mind.
Sleeping is something we do to maintain appropriate levels of cognitive skills such as speech, memory and so on, and thus keeping our brains healthy.
It's also a time when many of life's most intimate moments happen; such as cuddling with a loved one, conceiving our children, stroking a family dog, or drinking tea with a partner while the sun streams in on a beautiful summer morning.
Given that sleeping, and indeed the role of the bed is so important in our lives, it's amazing then how many of us buy cheap and ethically irresponsible beds that harm the earth, as well as do little to give us a decent nights sleep.
These days, more and more people are thinking about buying eco bedding, either in the form of organic unsprayed cotton mattresses, natural goose down quilts and duvets, or even in the bed itself.
Eco beds are generally made of wood but when choosing one you want to make sure the wood comes from sustainable sources.
Organic wood is a rather nebulous concept actually since little sprays are used on forestry in any case, but the important thing is to make sure the trees are replanted after being felled.
ideally with two or more saplings for one felled mature tree, to balance out the carbon.
In the UK the organisation that generally approves sustainable wood is called FSC or the Forest Stewardship Council.
They're an excellent organisation and if you see their symbol on an eco bed you can be sure it's from an ethical source.
Other people use found or foraged wood, like driftwood from the beach to construct their eco beds.
This is another lovely natural way to find worn and organic pieces of timber to base ones constructions on.
When selecting natural bedding, also make sure the glues and varnishes are of an ecological origin, and if possible that the wood is locally sourced.
FSC have something they call the Forest Certification Resource Center, which has a searchable database of suppliers and companies that are currently making and selling certified wood furniture.
Find this on the web, or search for local carpenters near you and request that they source some sustainable timber to make the right bed for you and your family.
With these choices in mind, you'll find a bed that'll last many lifetimes, and you can pass down to your grandchildren with the sure knowledge that your actions haven't cost the earth.
You may even longer to see them grow up, with these health giving and responsible shopping choices in mind.
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