28 Mar How To Make Your Home More Environmentally Friendly
Whether you’re someone who returns home often (because you’re travelling so much in between), or you’ve been forced to stay home recently (as COVID did not help your traveling lifestyle very much), or, like Chanel & Stevo, you’re looking at finally setting up a home (that’s an exciting story for another day – stay tuned!), the truth is we could all look at creating a more environmentally friendly home. As we all discover more about how the planet works and what is hurting it, more and more people (thankfully) are becoming environmentally aware, and are keen to do what they can to protect the earth.
Although this is not always easy to do outside of the home – due to restrictions and other people’s and corporations’ rules – when you are in your own space, there is a lot you can do. If everyone were to do at least some of the things listed in this post, the planet would be much healthier for it.
So thank you for reading this post and trying to do your bit. Here is a list of ways that you can be environmentally friendly in your home.
Save Water
When you think of all the ways you can help the planet from your home, water might be something that you forget to include. It is always there, something that barely any of us really think about, and yet it is vitally important to the planet, and to our own health. It is also vitally important that we save as much water as we can and stop wasting it. The more we can save, the more environmentally friendly our homes can be (and as a benefit, we will also save money and stop paying for water that we’re literally flushing away).
It doesn’t take much to make these important changes. Simply by remembering to turn the tap off when you are brushing your teeth, or to use your dishwasher only with a full load in it, or even by installing a shower head specifically designed to offer a lower flow, you can save many thousands of liters of water each year.
Know What You’re Using
If you don’t know how much energy you are using within your home, it will be all but impossible to change your lifestyle for the better, and know that you are using less. The heating and cooling in your home is one of the most significant ways that you can use (and save) energy, and it is crucial that you are aware of exactly how much you are using. Once you can see this, it will also be easier to remember to turn the heating down (or even off) when you need to, rather than leaving it on all the time, for example, and you will be more likely to switch lights off when you are leaving the room.
Use Energy Efficient Bulbs
Speaking of lights…everyone needs to use light bulbs, even though they use a fair amount of energy. We’re not suggesting that everyone needs to go back to using candles to light their way (although every now and then it’s a great way to make it hygge). However, if you can switch from standard bulbs to energy efficient ones, you can use your lighting without feeling guilty or worrying that you are causing harm to the planet. Energy efficient light bulbs make a lot of sense because they use less electricity when they are on, and they also last longer, meaning you don’t have to buy so many, so you’ll save money because of that too.
Install Solar Panels
Solar panels are perhaps the biggest change that you can make to your home if you want it to be more environmentally friendly. They might also be the most expensive change, but in the long run they will make enough energy to start “paying you back” as you may be able to sell that energy onto others. Installing solar panels then might allow you to make money on your energy, rather than just spend it. But even if they don’t pay you back financially, the help they are offering to the planet is well worth considering if you are a home owner.
Talk To The Experts
If you want to be more environmentally friendly within your home, but you don’t know where to start, talk to the experts about what you can do. You might find that there is a local sustainability consultant near you who can help, for example, or perhaps there are talks and workshops being held that you can attend in order to learn more. If there is no one you can talk to in person, take a look online. There will be all kinds of forums that you can join where you can discuss the different ways to be more energy efficient and environmentally friendly, and you might discover things you never knew before. Books are also a great way to learn a little more and you can check out Chanel & Stevo’s shop for some of the most environment-conscious reads out there.
Use Natural Cleaning Products
Having a clean house is obviously something everyone wants, but to achieve this, people may buy many different chemical cleaners. The result is that their homes are spotlessly clean, but the planet suffers. The harsh chemicals within these cleaners have a massively negative impact on the environment, especially when they go into the water supply. When this happens, the water needs to be purified more before it can be used, which takes extra energy, plus the chemicals are harmful to wildlife and fish who come into contact with that water.
It is far better to use natural cleaning products that have no chemicals in them. You can now find some of these natural products on the shelves in grocery stores, but if you really want to be extra environmentally friendly (and save money), you can make your own with products that you probably already have around the house, such as vinegar, baking soda, and lemon juice.
Insulate Your Home
The best way to save energy in your home (thus making it more environmentally friendly) is to use as little as you can, and ensuring that you have the right levels of good quality insulation installed will help you to achieve this goal. When you have good insulation, your home is better able to keep the heat inside it, and this means you aren’t using lots of energy to keep your house warm, replacing the heat that is escaping through poor insulation.
Another great tip for home owners is to insulate the walls and ceilings with insulation board, and install double glazed windows to stop your heat from leaking out through the panes of glass. Whether you own a home or are renting, then rugs can help to keep your home more energy efficient too, as they make hardwood flooring warmer, and less expensive to run.
If you can think of any other ways to make your home more environmentally friendly, drop your suggestions in the comments and let’s all strive to be a little more conscious in our decisions.
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