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Environmentally-savvy furniture tips:

* Shop Local

Reusing furniture that already exists is the best and kindest choice for the environment. If you're in the market for new furniture, first ask yourself if anything in your home can be repurposed or found at a local flea market, thrift store or antique shop.

* Hunt for Furniture Online

Buying or finding used furniture saves big on budget. Two of the best places online to check are Craigslist.org and Freecycle.org. These communities offer free, local classified ads for everything from sofas to dining tables. While items listed on Craigslist often have a price attached, furniture listed on Freecycle has one requirement: It must be given away free.

* Can't Reuse? Buy Responsibly

"If you can't find a piece you love in the used marketplace, the next-best thing to do is to buy something made from sustainable materials," says Zem Joaquin, green blogger at Ecofabulous.com. How can you tell if furniture is environmentally friendly? Look for these certifications:

* Greenguard certification

Furniture has been tested and approved as a low-emitting product, which means better indoor air quality.

* Choose Renewable Resources

Eco-friendly furniture materials to look for include: Bamboo; Cork; Beech wood; Reclaimed lumber and recycled wood scraps; Recycled products from plastics and paper

Sustainable fibers like hemp, wool and jute; Bent plywood or molded ply; Corrugated cardboard; Stainless steel; Kirei board (made from reclaimed sorghum stalk fibers)

Coconut palm trees; Earth-Friendly Finishes.