Whatever the reason for the planet getting warmer, there are some things we can all agree on: there’s too much pollution and we are too wasteful.
If we all take responsibility to change our ways just a little bit then together we can make a big difference.
In this article, we take a look at 4 ways we can make our homes more environmentally friendly places.
A neat by-product of all these ideas is that they save you money too!
1. Save that water!
Being more sustainable is often just attributed to saving energy, but water is a vital resource that is becoming increasingly scarce in the modern world. The water shortage problems in California and Cape Town are just the start of a sorry tale that is going to get worse over the coming years.
Simple savings can be made by not running the faucet when shaving or brushing teeth. Another quick win is to install a low-flow showerhead. These can save thousands of liters of water which can make a big difference to your bills too.
Something that is becoming increasingly popular is the use of composting toilets. These don’t actually use any water so save massive amounts that would be otherwise used when flushing. Plus you get free compost for the garden. However, they just wouldn’t work in a large household.
Ever turn the hot water faucet on and have to wait for ages for the cold water to turn hot? This is really wasteful and is especially a problem in large houses. A great way to reduce this water waste is to install a recirculation pump.
2. Time to downsize
By downsizing your home it gives you the opportunity to reduce your energy bills. Plus it probably gives you a bit of extra cash to put towards something nice.
Reducing your living space gives you the opportunity to prioritize your possessions and also make some spare cash from selling things that you just don’t need any longer.
It’s also a great opportunity to cut back on the energy bills and maintenance jobs around the house.
Downsizing the car is a great idea too. Do you really need all that power? Getting a smaller car that’s more economical on fuel will save you money in the long-term.
3. Recycle, re-use, repurpose
Try and make use of as many empty bottles and containers as possible. They make great starter pots for plants or holders for things like pens.
These are great little projects to do with kids that teach them the value of recycling while doing something fun. It’s really important that we teach our children not to pollute the world in the same way that we have done so.
Also, it’s good practice to make a point of buying recycled products when you can. Use your consumer power to put pressure on companies that don’t recycle to start doing so.
4. Watch those windows
Despite probably being the most expensive surface in your home, windows are actually really poor at keeping your home insulated. This is especially true of older windows and frames. You can improve the amount of heat insulation that your window areas provide by using thick curtains or even doubling curtains up.
Thicker curtains have the added benefits of blocking more light from entering the room to help you sleep better, and also from stopping more unwanted noise from entering the home.
You can help even further by using velcro to provide a seal between the curtain and wall. A little tip that can make a big difference.
