Today, you’ll see a lot of people trying to be more environmentally friendly, whether it’s in the form of switching to a hybrid or electric car, or using reusable grocery bags at the grocery store, instead of plastic ones. There’s a saying that implies that all of your good habits start at home, and this is even true when trying to reduce your carbon footprint on the planet. Here are five ways you can make your home a more environmentally friendly place to reside.
Table of Contents
1. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Reduce
Reducing simply means to use less of something. The best way to reduce your use of something is to not use it at all; for example plastic bags and bottles, gas-powered cars, etc. Reducing your use of certain materials results in less pollution.
However, just using less of something also greatly reduces pollution. Not everyone can or wants to completely eliminate the use of material, so cutting down on the amount used is a good option too.
Reuse
In addition to reducing the number of materials you use, you can also reuse certain materials. In the case of plastic water bottles, you don’t have to throw the bottle away once you’re finished. You can refill the bottle to get more usage out of it before it’s thrown away. Reusing materials and reducing the amount you use can both save you money.
Recycle
Recycling is turning used materials into new ones. This, in addition to reusing and reducing, is one of the best ways to make your home more environmentally friendly. Recycling not only decreases pollution, but also saves energy, conserves natural resources, and cuts down on the number of materials in landfills. You can recycle almost anything, from glass, plastic, paper, and even cardboard.
2. Switch to Natural Products
Millions of people have switched over to using natural hair care, skincare, and other personal care products that are healthier for the human body. You can also switch to natural household cleaning products to make your home and the environment safer and cleaner.
Kitchen and bathroom cleaners tend to be made with harsh chemicals, and they are usually flushed down the toilet or drain. This can cause pollution of water systems, which affects both the environment and people. There are many ways that you can use to make your home more environmentally friendly. Instead of using a paper towel, try bamboo tissue. These products are biodegradable and will decompose in a landfill much more easily than any other type of paper product. They also will not cause any harm to the ecosystem if they were to enter the sewers or streams, which is very helpful when it comes to protecting our water supply and making sure that we can continue to enjoy clean drinking water for years into the future.
Luckily, natural cleaning products are becoming more popular, and this is a trend that is likely to continue. Over the years, many changes have been made to things that were once harmful to people and the environment. For example, paint is not made with lead anymore and insulation in most buildings doesn’t contain asbestos anymore— which is one of the leading causes of mesothelioma cases.
3. Incorporate Smart Devices
Source: kaspersky.com
Another popular trend in conserving energy is the use of smart home devices. Smart thermostats regulate the heating and cooling features of your HVAC system, allowing it to learn your habits to adjust the temperature in your home automatically. Not only does this save energy, but it also saves you money.
You can also use smart power strips to save energy. The appliances in your home and other electronic devices are known to continue using energy while they’re plugged in— even if they’re turned off. Smart power strips can detect when these things are not in use and turn them off for you, eliminating the need for you to unplug everything you’re not using in order to save energy.
4. Build Your Own Sustainable Home
If you’re able to see the construction of your home from start to finish, then there are changes you can make right then and there to make your home more environmentally friendly.
You can have solar panels installed on the roof for a renewable, clean power source, or have smart water systems installed to help you save on water consumption. You can even build your own tiny house, a sustainable home in which many have built from shipping containers.
5. Incorporate Natural Light
Source: rawsonhomes.com
What better way to incorporate a natural element in your home than with natural light? This will not only light up your home and lower your electric bill, but it will also be beneficial to your overall health as well. Numerous studies have shown the many benefits of sunlight in your home, including lowering blood pressure, improving mood, and bone health support.
So how can you incorporate natural light more in your home? Well, there are a few different ways. You, of course, can open your blinds and curtains to ensure more light enters your home. If you have the funds to do it, you can have a skylight installed on your roof.
Lastly, you can also have a screen door installed in front of your main or back entry doors. This will let a significant amount of sunshine in your home, thus, reducing your need to turn the lights on.
All of these ways to make your home more sustainable are very simple. You don’t even have to start big— small changes every day will turn into natural habits later.
