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The world we live in is getting worse day by day- pollution, global warming and climate changes are not just mere words in some text book, but they are happening presently at an fast pace. With all this happening, the need to be eco-friendly is non-negotiable because whatever damage the environment takes will be returned to us at the end of the day.
Luckily, being eco-friendly does not involve a whole lifestyle change. With a few smart changes, you can actually make your house more sustainable and environment friendly, all while saving yourself some good bucks too. Here are a few ways to reduce your home’s carbon foot print and make it more greener:
Save Water
Water, as much as it is available to us, is the most valuable natural resource. In any household, water doesn’t come directly from the rivers, but goes through a proper process before its made fit for consumption. Managing our water usage would result in lesser pollution and carbon footprint and will also bring down the water storage costs greatly. Since most of the water usage and wastage occurs in kitchen and bathrooms, your journey to an eco-friendly house should start from here.
While the kitchen won’t demand much but a change of leaky pipes and faucets, it is the bathroom that will take up all your time. A eco-smart move can be to install composting toilets, a trend which is taking on for its bio-friendly nature. I’ve read a lot of compost toilet reviews and discovered that they really save water. These toilets don’t just cut up water storage costs by 60% but also possess the ability to recycle much of the other household waste like food scraps, paper etc, yielding valuable fertilizer as the end product.
Go Solar
Solar panels have been here for decades and now they make the very crux of the whole energy efficient, eco-friendly movement. These panels ensure that your whole house has enough energy to function, without any negative addition to the environment. Though these solar panels don’t come in for cheap, but this long term investment reduces air pollution, water pollution and the need for finite energy resources. As long as the sun is up, you are good to go!.
Efficient Energy Management
Probably the most energy consumed by us in our households involve maintaining the right temperature for us to be in. No surprise here that this comfort of ours costs the environment more than it costs us. Therefore, the quickest and smartest way to making your home more environment friendly is to ensure that you use as little energy as possible. While this may seem more like a dream, it is possible through:
Proper Insulation
Insulation is the way to this efficient energy management. Good insulation keeps the heat in when its freezing outside and vice versa. Many places, such as the walls and roofs, are the ideal spots to include insulation in.
Geo-thermal Heating and Cooling Systems
These central heating and cooling systems are also making waves in the market for its rather unconventional mechanism. These systems takes advantage of the subterranean temperatures to provide heating in the winter and cooling in the summer, all while using no electrical resources.
Get a Smart Meter
If you believe that insulating and geo-thermal are not for you, or you don’t want to spend a huge bucks or are satisfied with your current means of temperature control, then a smart meter is your call to action for a greener home. These meters can be programmed so that they work for a certain time in a day- for instance, they can start heating or cooling your home just an hour before you come to home, or shut off during the later part of night.
The smart meters are an excellent source of managing your energy resources for heating and cooling, reducing your bills and your negative contribution to the environment.
Recycle, as much as you can
Recycling is just not throwing your trash in the bins- it is actually re-using your daily items for multiple purposes and opting for products that are recyclable. This efficient waste management technique allows you to consume products that are all natural, both healthy for you and the environment. For instance, invest in washable home air filters, reusing glass bottles in the kitchen and ditching plastic bags completely and opting for cloth or paper bags.
…and Composting
Basically this includes any organic matter that can be added to soil and act as a fertilizer. It includes food scrapes, yard wastes and even your pet’s waste hair and fur! All you need is a shady, dry area in your backyard, with a good water and air supply. You can even set up your composting pile indoor if you don’t have the space for it outside. The end product is a very fertile addition to your soil and reduction in methane emission (which is a pollutant that takes it toll on the environment.
Grow and add Plants in your living space
What can be the best way to make your environment more pure and pro life than this? Nothing! Plant seeds are cheap and easily available and therefore should be used, if you are all about going greener. And while your backyard might be green, don’t hesitate to get some greenery inside too. Placing houseplants in your room, lounges and spider plants in your washroom can drastically improve the air quality in your house. And for some added beauty, you can also grow a mini herb garden and get benefit from your own produce!
While there are plenty of other ways that can also help you achieve a more green and eco-friendly home, these seven changes have the potential to make the most impact. Paired with some other environment conscious activities, you can amplify their benefit to a greater extent. Reducing your home’s negative impact won’t involve much money but it will involve serious effort from your side.
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