10 Tips to make your home greener
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| Living in a sustainable way will guarantee that there will be a future for the whole human kind and all species and plants on our beautiful planet |
Heating And Cooling
Nearly half of a home’s energy consumption is spent on heating or cooling. But do you know the most effective way to reduce costs and consumption? Actually there are a few things to help you cut expenses. First, make sure your home is well insulated. Good insulation will not only keep warmth in the house in cold days, but it will also prevent it entering your home in hot ones. Shades and blinds are the perfect additions for your home to help you fight off high summer temperatures.Energy Saving Appliances
Electrical appliances are the one of the biggest energy consumer in your home? Vacuum cleaners, ovens and toasters are responsible for 18% of your household electricity bill. However, the fridge is the number one by a stretch as it’s up and running 365 days a year. If your home appliances are too old (10 years or older) they probably need to be replaced with a new generation of energy-efficient ones. You’ll notice your energy bill decreasing in no time.Shut Off The Tap
Water is invaluable, still people continue to waste the liquid gold. It won’t be that far in the future when drinkable water will be more expensive than gold. Do you know that leaving water running while you brush you teeth wastes 17 liters? Or when you clean the driveway with the hose instead of scrubbing with a broom – 364 liters? Changing your habits can be tough, but it’s worthwhile in such instances.
Green Cleaners
Don’t be surprised to learn that commercial cleaning products are responsible for a significant part of water and soil toxic pollution. Experts estimate that it’s accountable for well over 10% of all toxic exposure. Most of the time people don’t know what is in the bottle or canister they buy, because manufacturers don’t list ingredients. All modern chemical cleaners were developed with the start of WWII as a substitute for soap. But how did people use to clean before that?
Well, they used natural products such as salt, vinegar or baking soda. They even made soap. All of these substances are effective, eco-friendly and budget-friendly. You can find lots of cleaning recipes online or tap the wisdom of your grandparents. They can tell you a lot about green cleaning.
Replace Lightbulbs
Incandescent lightbulbs are technology from the last century but still occupy the minds and hearts of many people with its warm, soft glow. Fluorescent lightbulbs are the modern answer to the obsolete incandescent ones. These new lightbulbs use up to 70% less energy and last between 8 and 10 times longer than the standard bulbs. Another energy-saving option are LED bulbs. These bulbs are even better, because they don’t contain hazardous materials.Cut Tree Consumption
Most people think that in the new digital era of Google, Apple and Facebook people use less paper? After all we don’t write letters, but emails. We don’t read books, but have e-readers. We use tablets instead of restaurant menus. Well, you might be surprised that paper consumption is on the rise. The main culprits are junk mail and packaging. Millions of trees are dying because tons of junk mail are distributed with the mail each week.
Plastic-Free Life
Imagine how wonderful would it be if there weren’t so many plastic in our life? No plastic bags, no soda bottles, no sandwich bags… Various estimates put the number of polyethylene plastic bags thrown away every year at 100 billion! This is a staggering number. What’s more, most plastic products are made of petroleum, which is one of the most energy intensive raw material to extract from the depths of the Earth and number one contributor to global warming.Hardwood Flooring
Though hardwood flooring is fabulous to have in one’s home due to its luxurious looks and perceived social value, thousands of acres of forests are decimated to produce it each year. And as we know trees are the lungs of our planet. No trees, no air to breath. However, there are alternatives to hardwood flooring like natural fibre carpets or even bamboo. Bamboo is actually grass which is eco-friendly flooring material, highly durable and surprisingly appealing option.The Right Paint
Probably you wouldn’t want to know what conventional paints contain. All you need to know is that these products are made of substances which cause ozone pollution, smog and decrease indoor air quality. It’s recommended to use natural paints to refresh the looks of your home interior. Though these products are more expensive, you wouldn’t want to risk your health to spend a couple of bucks, right?Gardening
Credit for Great Stock Photography:
1. Featured image: Summer flowers by Hpgruesen
2. Pic 1: Poison by CFVI
3. Pic 2: Garbage by WerbeFabrik