8 Ways To Make Your Home Eco-friendly
1. Compost your food waste
Composting food waste can help reduce the impact that landfills have on the environment. Not only that, but it will also improve the quality of your garden soil, saving you the cost of purchasing fertilizers. The main benefits of compost are the prevention of soil erosion and the promotion of healthier plant growth. It also reduces waste, conserves water, and combats climate change.
If you have little or no space for your composting system, consider any one of these options:
- Explore the possibility of setting up a communal composting system in your building;
- Pair up with a neighbor who has more space for composting. If they are interested, they will like the idea.
2. Address water wastage
All living things in this world need water to survive, from people to things too small to see. Water is a precious resource that is, unfortunately, becoming more and more unpredictable in its availability. Therefore, water must be used wisely. Here are a few simple ways you can do this:
- Install low-flow taps and shower heads;
- Fix leaky taps immediately;
- Keep shower time to under ten minutes;
- Use your dishwasher and washing machine only for full loads.
3. Clean green
Cleaning products pose a great danger to the environment. Once they’re down the drains and in the water supply, it often takes a lot of effort to purify the water. Consider switching out your favorite detergents and cleaning supplies for vinegar, baking soda, and lemon juice—all of which are perfect at killing bacteria and leaving homes grease and odor free. Another alternative is using steam cleaners. They kill germs and disinfect all on their own—water is all they need.
4. Cut out single-use plastics as much as possible
A 2020 Greenpeace report shows that the majority of single-use plastics cannot be recycled in the United States. It’s shocking that out of all the plastics marked as recyclable, only plastics #1 and #2 satisfy the legal requirements for being labeled recyclable. That means that the majority of the plastics that we dutifully wash and sort to be recycled ultimately go to incinerators, landfills, and the ocean. Statistics show that 79% of plastic waste ends up in the ocean or landfills, 12% is incinerated, and only 9% gets recycled. Reusables cut down on plastic pollution, so if you invest in them, you will greatly help the planet.
5. Install solar panels
Installing solar panels can be intimidating because the initial cost is high, but have no fear: they pay for themselves as time goes by as they reduce your electricity bill. Solar energy also reduces emissions of greenhouse gases, water usage in energy production, and improves air quality. Solar energy plays an important role in mitigating climate change and protecting ecosystems, humans, and wildlife.
6. Replace regular light bulbs with energy-efficient ones
Using energy-efficient light bulbs is a simple, low-cost move that can significantly reduce your energy usage. And on top of that, they don’t need to be replaced nearly as often as the old-fashioned regular light bulbs. Making the switch is as simple as quickly visiting your local hardware store.
Did you also know that energy-efficient light bulbs reduce carbon dioxide emissions that increase the temperature of the Earth and are the result of headaches, sweating, tiredness, elevated blood pressure, and even coma in humans?
7. Properly air seal and insulate your home
A well-insulated and air-sealed home can save homeowners 15% on cooling and heating costs on average—an average total of 11% in energy costs. Proper insulation and sealing in your home’s roof and walls hold heat in perfectly, minimizing the need to reheat your living space. This also takes into account double-glazed windows, which can be quite beneficial in terms of saving energy but at the same time are very polluting. Therefore, wooden window frames prove to be more environmentally friendly and, if properly maintained, can be just as durable. If you don’t know how to install them, ask your neighbors or relatives to do it for you. If you forgot someone’s contact details, Nuwber will help you out. However, if nobody is good at installing windows, search for professionals in your region to avoid faulty installation.
Thicker curtains help as well—they reduce the amount of air exchange between a cold window and the rest of the room. High-quality, floor-length curtains that are close to the wall and window panes reduce heat loss by approximately 40%.
8. Opt for water-based paints
Water-based paints with natural pigments are eco-friendly and at the same time provide a wider variety of colors that are more aesthetically pleasing. Water-based paints emit fewer VOCs, which are a group of chemicals used in many materials that people use to build houses. Those materials are paint strippers, сaulks, sealants, pressed wood products, etc. According to the American Lung Association, “Breathing VOCs can irritate the throat, nose, and eyes, and even damage the central nervous system and other organs.” But what’s super important to know is that VOCs can even cause cancer. That’s why water-based paints are better for you and the environment.
The takeaway
If you’re one of those people who strongly believe in green living and are considering making the switch to a green lifestyle, you’re on the right track to helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions and saving our environment. Your choices may not be popular among people you know, but they will ultimately preserve the Earth’s natural resources. Climate change is very real. Doing all that we can to slow it down will go a long way—from the electricity we use to the way we travel, the things we buy, and the food we eat. Starting with our eight suggestions above, you can help tackle the climate crisis. As natural resources become scarcer and more expensive, green living allows you to increase the level of comfort in your home and play an active role in protecting the environment.