We all need to take action for a more eco-friendly and sustainable home if we are to play a part in helping the planet. You might think you aren’t important in this. But together, we can make a major difference by working together to have a greener lifestyle. Of course, you can help by reducing every kind of waste, including energy. But swapping out products and embracing smart technology can also help.
Consider the Cleaning Products You Use
A pandemic like Covid-19 has never made hygiene more critical than it is right now. But most kitchen and bathroom cleaners are dangerous. Furthermore, many of the best-known brands aren’t environmentally friendly. Alternative brands, like Grove Co., and online stores sell organic hygiene products. Nowadays, major dish soap brands also offer environmentally friendly versions of their established products. However, many are still made with chemicals and do not utilize organic ingredients. So always check the labels before you make a decision.
Make an Effort to Reduce Food Waste
Landfills receive a significant amount of food waste. Food waste is a common problem all over the world. But if you’re wasteful with food, try buying by portion and dividing ingredients equally. The easier way to accomplish this is to purchase ingredients according to your weekly food menu and divide multiple items into pieces for freezing. Making your own family meals will also save you money since you will not have to buy unnecessary things. Alternatively, you could try subscribing to food services like Simply Cook, which offers portioned meals with no wastage.
Be More Eco-Friendly with LED Bulbs
Since you’ve been reading this, it’s safe to assume you have heard about LED lighting by now. The traditional fluorescent and incandescent bulbs are inefficient and emit a high amount of greenhouse gasses. Alternatives such as LEDs can reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, you can save a lot of energy with LED recessed lighting in the home. LED lighting also offers more flexibility than standard lighting. You can dim them or change colors using your phone or an AI assistant like Alexa. In addition, they use far less energy and last much longer.
Replace Inefficient Older Appliances
Besides being more efficient, replacing old white goods can save you money and energy. White goods include appliances such as your refrigerator, washer, and dishwasher. In the past, white goods were energy guzzlers. However, modern energy and carbon efficiency standards can be met by reputable manufacturers’ wide range of new models like the Cafe Appliances refrigerator pictured above.
When you switch to more recent models, your carbon emissions will be significantly reduced. So while it will cost money upfront for replacements, you will save a considerable amount in the long run on your energy bills.
Install Smart Technology for Saving Energy
If you aren’t sure what smart tech is, it’s simply devices that work with or via another device to achieve something. For example, you can control LED smart bulbs with an app on your phone or a smart hub like Amazon Alexa. And there are excellent smart devices that can save energy:
- Smart plug sockets that you can turn off remotely when not in use.
- Smart-enabled thermostats that monitor the temperature of your home.
- Boilers you can control remotely via heating profiles.
- Smart bulbs you can switch on or off from anywhere in your home.
- Smart meters that monitor and compare your energy usage.
You can save energy with a combination of these devices. And none of them are expensive to install. With more control over what you or your family uses, you can begin reducing your carbon footprint right away and significantly reduce energy waste throughout the home.
Sort Your Waste for Trash and Recycling
Waste is disposed of in the landfill if it cannot be recycled. It is still possible to make biofuels out of garbage. However, most of the things you throw away can’t be processed without a clear understanding of what they are. By sorting your waste, processing plants can manage garbage more efficiently. But if you throw away a glass bottle, it will end up in a landfill, contributing to the problem. Placing them in the correct bins is processed for recycling after collection. Be aware you can be fined for not sorting recyclables in some countries.
Renovate Sustainably to be More Eco-Friendly
Getting your home renovated or remodeled is a popular thing to do these days. And when a buyer looks at your home for sale, they will look in the kitchen and bathroom first. Hence, remodeling these rooms will increase the chances of a sale. However, the materials and methods used to build kitchens and bathrooms are often outdated, which results in high CO2 emissions. In response, sustainable woods such as bamboo are being used to reduce these emissions. Additionally, the light colors and linear grain look clean, fresh, and modern.
Try Not to Use Plastics Whenever Possible
The environmental impact of single-use plastic is well known to us all. By themselves, waste container rings from drinks cans and clothes that contain microplastics are destroying the oceans. Additionally, plastic causes the death of millions of animals each year. So there has never been a more convenient time to switch to sustainable products. You can reuse glass jars for storing almost everything. And using recycled paper or cardboard food containers will help reduce your contribution. If you need to use plastic, always use recycled and recyclable.
Make Your Own Energy with Solar Panels
The best sustainable home features are those that reduce carbon emissions, promote sustainability, and are cost-effective. Solar panels, for instance, have been around for decades, but the price put people off. Over the years, technology has advanced dramatically, making it much more affordable. And the savings on electricity bills with solar panels can be up to 25%. But, even though they are more affordable than they once were, they are still pricey. Fortunately, most governments will offer grants for installing solar panels and incentives for doing so.
Summary
You can help contribute to a greener world for everyone by having a more sustainable lifestyle. Reducing food, plastic, and energy waste is a great start. And using smart technology to control how much energy you use will help you with this. However, you can also invest in newer appliances to reduce both energy waste and monthly bills in the long run. Alternatively, you can consider installing solar panels for a truly sustainable home.
