Home Office Furniture – Eco-Friendly Desks

How to Find an Eco-Friendly Desk

Having discussed the planning phase of setting up your new home office, today I look at one of the more important pieces of furniture in your work-from-home setup – your desk.  You have a lot of choices, so here are the important things you need to consider, and of course, how to choose a green desk.

This is going to be the place where you may be going to spend most of your days from now on, so think carefully about what kind of desk you want, need, and have space for. Looking for tons of drawers? A big work surface? Or something modular that you can push out of the way when company comes? See these great modular options from treehugger.

Some people swear by a stand-up desk, claiming they are better for your back and keep you more alert.  Make one by either putting an existing desk on a platform, or scour antique shops – stand-up desks were popular in earlier centuries.  Mostly, they were made-to-measure (i.e. there is no standard height) so check that you are comfortable using it, before you buy.

In fact, do you really need a desk?  With notebook computers packing a punch in a small package, you might consider eliminating a desk altogether, and instead, use either an existing surface somewhere in your home, or your lap.  Then you will only need shelving to hold a printer / scanner etc.

If you want a separate monitor for your computer though, you’ll probably want a desk – fortunately since the demise of the old CRT screen, the current flat screens mean you no longer need a deep desk.

eco-friendly antique desk
eco-friendly antique desk

No matter what your preferences are, you can find eco-friendly desks that fit the bill.  Most of the particleboard readily available has unfriendly chemicals used in the glues.  Opt instead for sustainable wood or recycled metal with non-toxic finishes.

When buying new furniture look for bamboo products or FSC-Certified wood, that use non-toxic finishes (not just formaldehyde-free, although that helps), and have longevity.

Be aware though, that genuinely green products – for example made from FSC-Certified wood and made locally – will generally be more expensive than mass-produced goods.

Antique Desk
Antique Desk

If you don’t have a large budget for your home office, check antique stores, thrift shops, estate sales, yard sales, or even your attic for used desks in good condition; you can fashion a desk out of an old door supported by filing cabinets!  Older furniture was generally built to last, and you will save space in landfills by reducing your demand for new goods and re-using existing furniture.

In my next blog, I discuss another very important piece of office furniture – the office chair.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo Credits:  Desk www.ergonomicoffices.net      Rolltop Desk:  www.desk.uk.com

 


Tags

antique desk, desk, eco-friendly desk, eco-friendly home office, green home office, home office, work from home


  • I will probably have to look at either multiple desks or a big work bench as I have multiple computers . Have some plans in my head , just a matter of starting .

  • Hi Green Goddess,

    the wooden desks you display here both look very attract and long lasting. I really do like wooden desks myself.

    Happy Dating and Relationships,

    April Braswell

  • I have to confess the desks I use don’t start out green. However, as they are reused over and over in different rooms and for different applications I think they become green as I always repair over replace. I actually have 2 book cases that used to be a desk.

    • You are obviously “handy” if you can make bookcases out of a desk! I’m impressed! I agree, re-using new items saves them from landfill, and reduces your demand for new stuff, so after a while they do become eco-friendly. Thanks for your comments Kevin!

  • I’m not to unfriendly – I pearch on the dining table and utilize the ex-china cupboards for office stuff – I am plugged in tho’ don’t really trust wireless yet (am old and cautious!!) – I use old tables and trolleys from around the house for scanners/printers etc – recycled printing paper etc – my machines are ancient in modern terms and I still use XP as it works – still always room for improvement

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