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With a little effort, you can make your house an extension of your commitment against animal and environmental destruction.

It's the small steps that matter when making a change to a more conscientious lifestyle.

When it's time to redecorate, consider what you are putting in your home, and its underlying effects. With each purchase you make—whether it be a paint color or bedding — you are either supporting inhumane treatment of animals and devastating practices to our environment, or making a statement against such methods. Be sure you are making the choices that will let you sleep soundly at night in your new surroundings.

Floor coverings

 Rugs and carpeting are often made with wool and wool blends, and while they may soften the walk to the bathroom at night, they do nothing to alleviate the suffering of sheep that are often brutally sheared with little to no regard to protecting them from extensive injury or the cold. Instead, choose wool alternatives such as synthetic fabrics or plant-based fabrics such as organic cottons and jute, a sturdy plant-based fiber that doesn't need pesticides and herbicides to grow.

Hardwood floors are another aesthetically pleasing and popular choice in flooring. Skip tropical hardwoods such as rosewood and ebony that come from rainforests or other over-logged areas in favor of bamboo, which can grow quickly without the use of chemicals or fertilizers. Bamboo is also naturally antibacterial and deodorizing—perfect for high-traffic areas.

Wall treatments

 The testing of exterior and interior wall paint — as well as varnishes and stains — on animals is not as widely discussed or documented as other types of animal testing. Rabbits, rats and mice can have paint injected into their eyes and skin, and are even forced to ingest and inhale toxic paints and fumes, often until a lethal quantity is found.

The effects of paint manufacturing and use can also have extremely detrimental effects on the environment. Chemicals such as arsenic and formaldehyde are released into the air and water supplies during the production process, and then into your home as you swipe on that first coat.

When choosing to add a new color to your walls, look for non-toxic brands that will attest to no animal testing such as ECOS or LIVOS. If you are lucky enough to have exposed brick or stone walls, don't try to cover them up and work with the look instead — brick imbues an urban sensibility, while stone gives the feeling of a rustic ranch, and was a favorite element of famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright.

Fabrics

 The bedroom is the place in the home where you can make one of the biggest impacts by going vegan. A single silk sheet is the product of killing thousands of silkworms, so if you consider bedding is made up of a fitted sheet, a flat sheet and pillowcases, that's a lot of unnecessary death you are lying down on. Synthetic satins can feel just as cool and luxurious during warm months, and switching to organic cotton flannel or hemp sheets will keep you cozy during the winter.

To gather feathers for a feather pillow or down quilt, ducks and geese are in some cases plucked every few weeks over the entire course of their lives; most, however, add profit to the business of slaughtering. If you like the feel of feathers, try Kapok pillows and comforters, which are filled with the soft, down- like fiber from the seed pods of Kapok trees.

Another indulgent option is buckwheat pillows, made from the rich-smelling grain’s hulls. A benefit of buckwheat pillows is that they can be heated or cooled for a more relaxing effect, and they can also form-fit to your head and body better than traditional pillows. Kapok and buckwheat are non-toxic and hypoallergenic, and can both be grown without damaging chemical pesticides and herbicides.

Décor

 There is really no appeal to leather furniture, and it is surprising that it has still found a position in the marketplace. Aside from the fact that it's literally a piece of dead skin covering your sofa, it remains cold in cold weather, hot in hot weather, and sticks to you if you try to settle in. If you like the look of leather, there is a broad range of synthetics that are also much more affordable. Organic cotton canvas makes a more family- or entertaining-friendly option as spills and spots can be quickly cleaned up without staining.

Candles, when lit, can emit carcinogenic compounds into the air, and are most often made with petroleum waxes or gels and processed with chemical-laden scents. Even worse are those made from beeswax stolen from hives where bees are maimed and killed during the collection process, or tallow, a rendered cow fat. If you like the look of decorative candles, choose those made from natural vegetable waxes, such as soy, that have organic cotton or hemp wicks.

As with flooring, look for wood furniture that comes from highly renewable resources and not from environmentally susceptible locales in Brazil, Asia and even the

United States . Finally, when adding your finishing touches, remember that silk flowers are a d é cor no-no by any of the best decorator's standards. Real flowers feel much more luxurious and won't sit around collecting dust. Even better are potted flowers and other plants, whose beauty and benefits will last for months or even years, without depleting your garden.