More and more people across the
globe are becoming environmentally-aware and wondering what they can do to
help. If you’re one of them, the best place to start is undoubtedly at
home.
Most of us can’t change the
world, but we can change our own little part of it for the better. So, if
you’re interested in doing your own little bit for the planet, here are some
simple things you can do to be more environmentally-conscious at home:
Stop Wasting Water
Few of us consciously waste
water, but many of us are wasting this precious commodity to some degree. The
thing is, if you want to be more sustainable, you really need to watch your
water consumption. That means if you have any leaking pipes or faucets, you
should get them fixed. It also means that you should not run the water
constantly when you brush your teeth or shave, and you should certainly stop
taking really long showers. You may even want to install slimline rainwater tanks so that you
can capture and use rainwater around the home, or at least install a water-butt
in the garden so you can use the rainwater you catch for your plants and
flowers. The more you can do to conserve water the better for the planet.
Switch to Energy Efficient Light
Bulbs
We all need to light our homes in
the evenings, but there are ways of doing so that are planet-friendly and ways
that are not. Incandescent bulbs, for example, are very inefficient and will
use a lot of energy, whereas LEDs and CFLs
are far better at lighting the home with less impact on the environment. Not
only do energy-efficient bulbs use less juice, but they have a far longer
shelf-life too. That means you save money and valuable resources at the same
time - what’s not to love!
Consider Solar Panels
If you live in an area that gets
lots of sunlight, you could slash your carbon footprint and your electricity
bills, by installing solar panels on the roof of your house, or perhaps in the
yard. Some solar panels are so good that not only can they generate enough
energy to run your home, but they can create an excess of energy that you can
sell back to the power company for a profit. Of course, solar panels are not a
cheap option, but you will save money in the long-term, so they are an
investment well worth considering.
Make Your Own Cleaning Products
Keeping the home clean and
presentable is important to most of us, but so often we end up using harsh
chemicals that are bad for the environment, and often the body, in a bid to
keep the place sparkling. This is really unnecessary when you consider the fact
that it’s possible to make completely natural cleaning products that are just
as, if not more, effective.
The cornerstones of homemade
natural cleaning products are white vinegar, lemon juice, baking soda, and
essential oils. There are numerous recipes
to be found online, and they’re easy to put together. It’s typically cheaper to
make your own cleaning products too, and an added bonus is you can cut down on
your plastic consumption by reusing containers instead of buying a new bottle
of cleaner every week or so.
Ensure Your Home is Insulated
Insulating your home is smart.
Not only does it significantly cut your energy consumption and save you money,
as well as being really planet-friendly, but it also helps you to feel warmer
in your home when it’s cold outside and cooler when it’s hot. You can insulate
everywhere from your roof to inside the walls, as well as installing double or
triple glazing and they will all help to eliminate drafts and keep heat
in.
You can also do low-tech things
such as putting rugs down on hardwood or tiled floors and hanging thicker
curtains, which will also have an insulating effect.
Compost Your Food Waste
Ideally, you should try to
eliminate as much of your food waste as possible by planning your meals and
streamlining your grocery shop, but practically that isn’t always possible, and
when so when you are left with food waste, it’s a really good idea to turn it into
compost. That way it doesn’t end up at the local garbage dump, and it can
be turned into a useful substance that will help nourish earth-friendly plants,
flowers, and trees in the future.
Recycle
If you don’t currently recycle,
it’s really not difficult to start. All you need is a few containers that can
be used to separate out various elements of recycling and a little space ot
keep them - the garage is perfect. Then, you can collect your recycling until
it’s full and drive to your local recycling center when you have a moment. Not
only does this help the planet, but it reduces the amount of garbage in your
trash cans too, which can be a useful bonus.
Buy Recycled Stuff
As well as recycling your own
trash, why not choose to buy recycled products whenever it is possible to do
so. From vintage clothing to upcycled furniture and even recycled toilet paper,
there are so many recycled products out there that it really isn’t hard to make
a change. I mean, you can even buy reconditioned smartphones, games consoles,
and computers these days which are just as good as new and purchasable at a
fraction of the cost!
Use Eco-Friendly Paint
When the time comes to update
your home
decor, consider using either recycled wallpaper or eco-friendly paint,
which does not use as many finite resources in the case of the former, and
which contains no nasty chemicals in the case of the latter. It’s never been
easier to find more sustainable home decor products, and they are just as good,
if not better than traditional options, so what have you got to lose?
You don’t have to go all out
eco-warrior to be more planet-friendly. There are, as you can see, so many
simple things you can do at home that is makes sense to make a few changes!
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