Do you find yourself spending money on services that don’t deliver in value? Are you buying household items that last a short while and then go straight in the trash? Have you been thinking about upgrading your life to be more efficient and modern? Well, your home might just need an eco-friendly makeover.
These five tips will give you the information you need to get started on your dream home, one that is energy-efficient and waste-free.
#1 Adopt a DIY Mindset
The first step to making your home eco-friendlier is adopting a “waste not, want not” mentality and applying it to all aspects of your life. This doesn’t simply mean recycling your trash. A lot of things in your home can be repurposed or reused to reduce waste. For example:
- Cloth – Don’t throw that old shirt away! Even though it’s not wearable anymore, it can be used to make a dish rag, a duvet cover, a tote bag, and more. The key is to be creative and adapt your resources for your own needs.
- Cleaning products – All those chemical-filled products in the cupboard under the sink are extremely harmful to the environment, not to mention your lungs. Consider ditching the store-bought cleaning products and making your own using essential oils, white vinegar, or baking soda.
- Containers – Never throw away that spaghetti sauce jar, takeout container, or soda bottle; wash it and keep it to store pretty much anything you can think of. Say goodbye to unnecessary plastic waste and hello to an organized, aesthetically pleasing kitchen.
#2 Switch your bulbs
All the affordable eco-friendly lighting options available on the market have made incandescent light bulbs a thing of the past.
LED efficient lighting is many times more efficient and durable than incandescent lighting. Not only will you save money on your electric bill, but you’ll also avoid breaking your back changing light bulbs every couple of months. Fluorescent and LED bulbs, which are affordable and easy to purchase, are both good options.
Even better, lighting upgrades can often be paid for by PACE financing, which is a state-led program that gives you upfront payment for energy-efficient changes to your home.
#3 Change Your Nozzles
There are many ways to save water, an energy-heavy and valuable resource.
- Sink – Eco-friendly sink attachments make it easy to adjust the amount of water you need. Instead of turning on the sink full flow just to rinse a single chopstick, control how much water you use with an adjustable nozzle.
- Shower – Getting a lower-power shower head is a great way to save on water that you’ll hardly notice. You can also consider getting a shower head that has both low-power and high-power settings, and toggling between the settings based on how much water you intend to use.
#4 Change the way you eat
Changing your food consumption habits is one of the most impactful ways you can make your home eco-friendlier. Here are some pointers:
- Grow your own food – Who hasn’t dreamed of living in a picturesque house with a garden in the back, fresh fruits and vegetables available for the picking any time of the day? Luckily, that pastoral dream isn’t far away. Buy seeds from any grocery store, research the seasonal trends, and get your green thumb on.
- Compost – Composting kills two birds with one stone: less food waste, and free fertilizer and soil care for your yard. You can easily make a compost bin out of any clear space in your yard, or any old plastic bin of your choosing.
- Eat local – Buying produce from farmer’s markets and local farms means avoiding the carbon emissions that result from the big agriculture industry. Additionally, farm-fresh food won’t come with wasteful packaging that will just go to the landfill.
#5 Be Smart About Your Appliances
Big appliances like your dishwasher and washing machine can really drain energy from your home. You can either switch them out for eco-friendlier options, or simply be more aware of your usage.
For example, avoid turning on your washing machine to wash a couple socks or using your dishwasher to wash only one rack of dishes.
Your Eco-Friendly Home Journey Starts Now
It’s never too late to go green, especially because the choice to transform your home is yours and yours alone.
These five tips will give you everything you need to turn your home into the eco-friendly haven you’ve always dreamed of!
