Going green is simpler than you think. If you want to transform your home into an eco-friendly home, you’re at the right place. Change starts at home. The task of saving our exploited planet could start in your backyard. Green activists all around the world are urging big corporations to adopt eco-friendly methods of production. Until greedy corporations learn to make the Earth’s welfare a priority, it is important to make every sustainable choice within our power. Remember, every bit counts!
These easy and practical ideas for an eco-friendly home will open your eyes to the impact of every choice you make at your home.
An Eco-friendly home saves a lot of water
- Fix all the loose taps and pipes around your house immediately. Make sure that no water outlet is dripping. Drop by drop, gallons of water could be wasted in a single day!
- Take the responsibility to turn off the tap when not in use. Remember this especially when you are brushing your teeth or washing your hands.
- Families in eco-friendly homes trade long baths for quick showers. You could also install a low-flow variety of shower heads and significantly reduce your water consumption.
- It is advisable to use the dishwasher only when it is filled. It is not rational to waste a large amount of water just to wash a few plates. Wash those few dishes with your hands. And remember to not leave the tap running while you scrub the dishes.
- Completely discard the old way of washing cars. Use a washing cloth and a bucket instead of sprinklers. You will save a lot of water.
- There are numerous traditional and modern methods of rainwater harvesting. Some relatively easy methods could come handy in setting up a mini rainwater harvesting unit in your own eco-friendly house. You could choose to filter and purify this water for drinking or utilize it for non-drinking purposes.
- It is important to note that not all used water has to go waste. As far as possible, make use of the relatively unadulterated water for watering the plants in your garden. This includes the water in which you wash your vegetables and fruits, and even the rice and pasta water that has to be drained off otherwise.
Eco-friendly homes consume less energy
- The list for this task would be endless. A large number of activities can easily be carried out without depending on non-renewable sources of energy. For example, it is so much more practical to walk to nearby places than to drive. The same applies to the use of elevators. Walking and climbing stairs would also help you stay fit and healthy.
- Make it a habit to use as little energy as possible. Switch off the lights when not in use. Even better, prefer to rely only on natural light during day time. Turn on air conditioners when required.
- Use curtains to cover bare windows. This will reduce the heating up or the cooling down of your home with the outside temperature. Insulating your house effectively in a cold environment would also decrease your absolute reliance on thermostats. It would be even better if your eco-friendly house has a smart thermostat in place that provides the flexibility to adjust the temperature as and when you need it.
- Make sure that the coils of your fridge are always clean. The same goes for water purifier filters. Dirty appliances intake more energy than clean appliances.
- Remember to turn down the temperature of your water heater, if you use one. You don’t need to heat water to a higher temperature than you require.
- You would be surprised to know that plugged-in appliances draw a significant amount of energy even when they are turned off. It is important to plug off these appliances when they are not in use. This includes your phone charger and even your television set. You may also save money on electricity bills.
- When your regular bulbs die out, replace them with energy-efficient light bulbs. These bulbs require a far lesser amount of energy while providing much more light.
- Always notice the star rating of any new appliance you may purchase. More the number of stars, lesser will be the energy required for the appliance.
- You may never regret investing in solar panels. It may not always be reliable, but this would significantly reduce your dependence on non-renewable energy sources. Becoming completely dependent on renewable energy sources would be a dream. Find out if you can easily avail of this option in your area.
- This may surprise you, but you could be wasting a large amount of energy while cooking. Remember to avoid using the oven until it is necessary. It isn’t fair to preheat an oven for cooking relatively small portions of food. Use the microwave when you can. It’s generally the most efficient way to heat up and cook food. When you use the oven, put the food in it as soon as it’s pre-heated. We have all at least once forgotten and left a pre-heated oven idle without food in it.
Pay closer attention to what you buy
- Always make sure you aren’t buying useless things that would end up as non-biodegradable waste. Try to look for more biodegradable or recyclable options. So, next time you plan a birthday party, try to buy biodegradable plates and cups.
- Remain on a lookout for authentic second-hand furniture, appliances, or even clothes. Try to recycle or reuse every item you decide to take out of your house. Lesser waste goes out of an eco-friendly home.
- Reuse old glass containers instead of buying new ones from the market. It is important to purchase only reusable water bottles that wouldn’t pile up as plastic waste.
- Reduce mindless fashionable consumption of clothes and instead focus on innovating more styles within your existing wardrobe. You could even repurpose old clothes by turning them into cushion covers, or anything you want.
- Decrease your consumption of products packaged in non-recyclable plastic. Remember to carry your eco-friendly bag whenever you go for shopping or to buy groceries.
- You could significantly reduce paper consumption by buying an e-reader for your love of books. You can avoid using new notebooks by using the backsides of unimportant documents or mail to make notes or lists.
- Be wary of useless mail that arrives at your doorstep and remains in your drawer forever. Make sure your opt-out of the mail you no longer want to receive or inform companies that you prefer being notified through email. This action would help save so many trees that are cut for this purpose.
A small change in our everyday choices can have a huge positive impact on the environment. These ideas for an eco-friendly home will take you a hundred steps closer to healing the earth. Remember to tag your friends along.