The
word home, in our minds, is typically synonymous with the words comfort
and safety. What better place to start in transitioning to a more
sustainable lifestyle? You don’t have to install solar panels and go
off-grid to save money, protect the earth and be healthier. There are
many small ways to collectively make a big difference every day.
Here is a list to help guide you in eco-fying your home:
Do the Energy Audit! –
You might have noticed the new banner of our partner company Solareesi and this is your entrance to a free energy audit. Click on the banner to receive the free audit that will help you to green your home within no time!
Lighten Your Impact –
As I am sitting here in a living room full of outdoor sunlight beaming
in from open windows, I wonder why people rely so much on artificial
light, but I know old habits are sometimes hard to break and not
everyone lives in sunny South Florida. That being said, a quick and
easy adjustment in your light use can come from installing Compact
Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFL’s). They use almost 70% less energy than a
standard incandescent bulb and they last up to 10 times longer.
Clean with Clean Products –
Ideally, you could create your own cleaning products using common
ingredients such as soap and water, baking soda, vinegar, and lemon
juice. This would save you money while saving the planet but maybe this
doesn’t sound ideal to you so the next step would be to read labels
when purchasing products. Look for eco-friendly ingredients such as
grain alcohol and plant-oils versus toxic ingredients like petroleum,
butyl cellosolve, and triclosan, also known as irgasan or microban,
which is one of the most common ingredients in antibacterial products.
 Control the Temps –
Almost half of a home’s energy use is often due to heating and cooling.
Install a programmable thermostat to help you monitor the temperature
on your air conditioning and heating units, change system filters
regularly, use heat producing appliances in the evening during hotter
months (dishwasher, dryer), and use ceiling fans and open windows for
ventilation as often as possible.
Star appliances –
If the appliances in your home are around 7 – 10 years old, look into
trading them in for newer and more energy efficient models. Energy Star
qualified appliances use 10% - 50% less energy and water than standard
models. And since it’s not only what’s on the outside that counts –
stock the fridge with local and organic foods as often as possible.
Shopping for locally grown and organic foods helps to cut down on
transportation costs, lower pollution, and ensures you are consuming
foods grown without the use of harmful pesticides.
Save H2O –
Helpful habits to save water include: turn the water off while you
brush your teeth, install a low-flow toilet and take a shower together
with your boyfriend. Moreover, shorten showers, only run clothes and
dishwasher when they are full, use a water-efficient showerhead, use
cold water as often as possible in doing laundry, and turn the water
off while you shave or shampoo your hair. For people with a garden:
adjust sprinklers to night time so the water is absorbed into the
ground while it’s cooler rather than during the day when it can
evaporate more quickly and not sufficiently hydrate the land, install a
rain sensor with your irrigation system, spread a layer of organic
mulch around plants to retain moisture and use run off rain water from
your roof to water plants.
Unused Chargers –
Most people do not realize that when they aren't charging anything,
plugged-in cell phone, laptop and other chargers continue to draw
electricity. The average household takes up almost 10% of their monthly
electric bill this way. There is a simple solution: just unplug them,
or plug them into a surge protector and turn that switch to “off” when
your device is sufficiently charged.
Freshening Up –
Maybe you want to make things look a little newer by adding color to
the walls in your home or replacing the flooring. A few easy tips:
remember to use VOC-free paints rather than potentially dangerous
conventional paints which release VOC’s or “volatile organic
compounds,” and consider opting for bamboo flooring which is considered
an environmentally friendly flooring option due to the extremely fast
rate at which bamboo grows.
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