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When shopping for cleaners look for ones that do not contain triclosan, and don’t be fooled by clever marketing making you think you need these items in your home. Powder typically has fewer surfactants, which have been found to be slow to biodegrade and can be harmful to plants and animals.
Different types of foods contribute differently to greenhouse gases, but food wastage is a big source of carbon emissions worldwide. In simple terms, living green means making choices that help protect the environment. Every day, we make decisions that affect the world around us – from the food we eat to the way we get around. By making small changes in our everyday lives, we can all do our part to help preserve our planet. One of the best ways to go green is by making your home more eco-friendly.
Insulate your house
Instead of changing all the lights in your home all at once, that’s way too expensive, switch to more energy-efficient ones as they burn out. If you notice your energy costs are on the high side you can switch out the bulbs to more efficient ones in the rooms you use the most, like the kitchen, living room, and tv room. These are the rooms where the lights stay on longer than in other areas, so you want to make sure you’re not wasting your money. If you have a dining room for example that you only for special occasions, worry about that room last. Yes, these are popular in kitchens and bathrooms but even if you use energy-efficient light bulbs the sheer number of them you need actually makes them a less environmentally friendly option. Another thing you may want to do is to install new windows.
What is the most eco-friendly material to build a house?
- Stone. Living in a stone structure is low maintenance and eco-friendly, and any extra stone leftover from the build can be used for home finishings such as countertops or tile.
- Cob.
- Bamboo.
- Cork.
- Adobe brick.
- Straw bale.
- Cordwood.
- Earth bags.
Typical household paint can contain up to 10,000 chemicals, many of which could be harmful. When paint is applied to our walls, these chemicals are released into the air. Paint-related products are the second largest source of VOC emissions behind cars, emitting around 11 billion pounds per year . Ceiling fans are excellent, energy-efficient ways to circulate air from room to room, and they can be used all year long. In the summer, have your ceiling fan blades rotating in a counterclockwise direction.
Install a Green roof
However, not everyone realises how all those chemicals can influence water once it goes down the drain. There are many easy and inexpensive solutions that will help your household to become more eco-friendly and, at the same time, give your home more character. For example, you can reuse many things that you already have at home and give them a new purpose. Our tips on how to make your home eco-friendlier will help you to get started and reduce the CO2 emissions of your household. Opting for furniture that makes a difference, whether it’s upcycled or made of earth-friendly materials, means you get to enjoy it guilt free, while your health can reap the benefits.
- The good news is, conserving our natural resources has now become a major priority.
- My name is Andreas and my mission is to educate people of all ages about our environmental problems and how everyone can make a contribution to mitigate these issues.
- Optimize your preheated oven by cooking several items in a row.
- And while some might take a little effort, they’re all worth it in the long run.
- Investing in double-glazed windows will be a decision that can pay off in the long run, and you can use the saved funds on other features that will make your home more sustainable.
- Going low waste I often get questions about accessibility regarding where to shop for low waste food and items.
You can significantly reduce the amount of water needed for your yard by creating an eco-friendly landscape. Not only is this approach more environmentally friendly – but also more cost-effective. One of the easiest first steps to creating a more energy-efficient home is https://ecosoberhouse.com/ to seal the air leaks around your house. Especially in older homes, air can make its way through openings in the ceilings, walls, floor and window edges. Save on your monthly heating and cooling costs by caulking, sealing, and weatherstripping all openings and cracks.
How Much CO2 Is Your Home Energy Plan Emitting
Regardless of opinion, most people agree that sustainable home building offers numerous advantages to both homeowners and communities. Natural cleaning products are just as effective as the regular ones. But they don’t contain any harmful chemicals that are bad for the environment and your health. Granted, natural cleaning products are more expensive and not all people can afford them. Nevertheless, you can make your own cleaning products using items like vinegar, baking soda, and lemon juice. Whether you opt for a whole-house, an under the sink, a faucet or a pitcher filter, your home will instantly become more eco-friendly if you stop buying plastic water bottles.
If you’re looking for a way to make your home more eco-friendly, one option is to install a gazebo. Gazebos are open-air How to make your home more environmentally friendly structures that provide shade and shelter from the elements while allowing you to enjoy your outdoor space.
Install smart energy devices at your home
These modern innovations are at least 10% more efficient than regular appliances. You can repaint, refurbish, and re-upholster these items using eco-friendly materials, saving yourself a lot of unnecessary expense in the process. Plus, you’ll prevent these unwanted items from ending up in a landfill somewhere. For nighttime illumination, there’s no better lighting solution than LED. These light fixtures use 85% less energy than halogen bulbs do, and they last ten times longer.
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- Composting toilets usually do not use water to “flush” like traditional toilets.
- The average US household produces 650 lbs of organic trash a year, but most of that is landfilled.
- The next time you are in need of a new gaming console or patio table, consider secondhand options first.
- If you have to drive, try to carpool as it is a great way to reduce the number of cars on the road.
- Not to mention that eliminating all the chemicals used by mass producers will only be healthier for you and your family.
We strive to protect the planet and reduce our collective carbon footprint. There are many different labels for energy-efficient products now, so do some research and find out what they mean before buying the refrigerator, washer, or dryer that you want. Methane is 72% more powerful than CO2 which means it’s responsible for hastening climate related issues. You can read more about greenhouse gasses in my post How to Offset Your Carbon Footprint and Why You Should. By switching to low-flow toilets, a family of four can save up to 13,000 gallons of water a year.