We can all make the effort to be more conscious about the environment we live in. After all, we want to be able to leave it in good condition for future generations to enjoy. However, at the rate we’re going, we are certainly endangering the planet and everything in it. We can reverse this problem if we all try to create a more eco-friendly living space.
The small steps that we make in our own homes can all lead to a bigger impact if enough of us are doing our part. If you want to make that contribution, then there’s certainly plenty you can do.
Here are ten tips to help your property be more eco-friendly.
Give a few of these when creating a more sustainable home. You will help the environment and save some cash.
1 – Be More Conscious About Your Water
Water is one thing that we can often take for granted. For those who are fortunate enough to receive constant running water, we forget that we can sometimes waste it. The number of baths we take for one and how long we might spend in the shower. Do you allow the tap to run while brushing your teeth? These can all contribute to an overuse of water, and it’s something that you want to try and prevent as much as possible. As a household grows, so too does the water usage and so it’s good to be conscious of it where possible. For those who enjoy baths, try and limit how many you have in a week and try to have shorter showers if you take them on a daily basis.
Try to acknowledge your water usage where you can and try to reuse water where it’s possible. Be conscious of how much you’re using, and if you have the opportunity to collect rainwater, that’s certainly something that can help.
2 – Check The Fixtures – Windows & Doors
The quality of your fixtures can certainly influence how energy efficient your home is. After a while, fixtures like your windows and doors can become worn down and are likely to perform a lot less effective. Some windows can last for decades if you pick the right ones, but it’s also important to check the sealants around the windows and doors to check that they’re not cracking or coming away from the walls in any way. If they are, then you’re likely to experience draughts and these fixtures, in general, are going to allow a lot more heat to escape. With that being said, it’s important to get these fixtures replaced where you can to be more eco-friendly
It’s worth consulting a company like Prescott Window who can help find the right windows needed for your home. For some properties, you might need custom-made ones, and it’s always worth getting professional advice when it comes to the type of windows you might benefit from.
3 – Install A Smart Meter
Smart meters can be great for your home, and not enough homes are fitted with them. They can be helpful in recording where your energy is being used and how you can consume less of it. This is not only good for the environment, but it can also be good for your utility bills. You want to be able to save money where possible, and this can definitely be a good way to do so. A smart meter is something that you might be able to get from your utility providers, but they are also fairly easy to buy too. You are likely to be surprised by what is consuming more energy than usual.
After you’ve started tracking your energy, you can make conscious efforts to use less of certain appliances and utilize others so that you’re not using them as much as you were before.
4 – Insulate Areas That Need It
Insulation can be very beneficial, and it’s something that you definitely want to have in your home when it comes to providing that warmth. Insulation can come in different forms, and it can vary in price depending on what you pick for the materials. It’s worth installing insulation in areas of your home, especially wall cavities and places like the attic. The attic space if you have one, is definitely a big area that can lose a lot of the heat. If you have any exposed space in the attic, then that’s certainly going to be letting the warm air escape. Try to insulate these areas where possible and find out how much you have to work with too.
For insulation, it’s certainly better to install it when you’ve got exposed areas, but it’s something that you can work with, even after you’ve sealed up walls. There are ways of doing it, so explore what’s available to you.
5 – Use Energy-Efficient Light Bulbs
Energy-efficient appliances are certainly the way forward and can be helpful for you to save energy in your home. There are definitely changes that you can make that might cost you a bit of money, to begin with, but you’ll end up making that back in its durability and cost-effective qualities. Energy-efficient light bulbs are definitely worth using if you want lighting that’s going to last a while and is also going to be conscious of how much energy it’s using. It’s important to be wary of some lighting as they are energy-efficient can sometimes mean that there’s a much dimmer light.
However, if you’re trying to be more careful with your lighting and being more active in turning your lights off when they’re not needed, then these energy-efficient bulbs can certainly be useful to have.
6 – Start Growing Your Own Food
Growing your own food is definitely something worth doing, whether you’re trying to be eco-friendly or not. It can be a great way to be self-sufficient and sustainable but also fun to watch things grow in your home.
Whether it’s growing something as small as a chili plant in your kitchen or having a herb garden outside, anything you can grow can be beneficial. Start yourself off with the basics, and when it comes to challenging yourself, you can do that as you get better. There are going to be some vegetables and herbs that might need some more attention, and not everything is going to be successful.
Easy-care plants include tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs, and bell peppers. However, if you’re able to get a good amount of food from your own garden, then you could save yourself quite a bit of money over time. Plus, it feels great to be more self-sustainable.
7 -Become A More Plastic-Free Household
Plastic is one of the biggest problems that the world faces and so much of it is in existence. It takes years and years for plastic to break down, and it’s also not something that’s great for the environment. We can all make a difference when it comes to our use of plastic and even just a few changes here, and there could make the impact needed. Try to become a more plastic-free household where you can. It’s not always possible, but it’s something that you can at least attempt to do. Plastic is harmful to the environment, not eco-friendly at all. So the more alternatives you can use than plastic, the better.
8 – Install Solar Panels
When it comes to alternative sources of energy, solar panels can be great for producing your own electricity. And just like growing your own food, you could end up saving yourself money by installing solar panels. These tend to be quite pricey and so it’s important to be aware of how much you have available to spend. However, as more people invest in this option when it comes to their home, the more affordable it might become in the future. It’s also worth knowing just how much it would cost to have on your home, as some properties might not need so many.
9 – Recycle More
Recycling is definitely a habit that is constantly drilled into us, especially when it comes to how we throw away our rubbish. The more we can recycle and put back into the world, the better. That way, we’re not producing even more things that are using up energy to create and impacting the environment. Try to be more conscious of what you’re throwing away and upcycle when possible. Also, be sure to separate as much of your trash as possible. You might be able to recycle more than you think too so always check the back of labels to see what’s possible to recycle and what isn’t. There are more efforts nowadays to try and make packaging out of materials that are either biodegradable or can be recycled.
10 – Be Conscious Of Travel
Being conscious of travel is certainly something that can be good for the environment. It’s important to be wary of how much driving you do or how much public transport you take. When it comes to travel, there are times where you could walk or cycle and it’s worth exploring these options to see if you could make a difference in how much you travel in terms of vehicles. It’s not always possible, but if you don’t need a car for your home, don’t get one.
The Takeaway on Becoming More Eco-Friendly
Being more eco-friendly is important to help improve our environment so use these tips to help you save the world. Make small ec-friendly changes to make the biggest impacts!
She has a B.S.Ed. in Secondary Education/English and a Spanish Minor. In addition, she holds a Certificates in Natural Health and Herbology from accredited programs. She pursued these natural wellness certifications due to her love for herb gardening.
Despite freelancing to make a living, her love is "all things home."
Deborah grew up in a family that grew a large vegetable garden and a fruit orchard, helping her parents pull weeds and can home-grown foods as part of her childhood. In fact, she had no idea that she could purchase veggies and fruits in pre-packed steel cans until she went to college and made a food run.
Today, she lives in Bertie County, North Carolina, an agricultural rural area with more chickens than people. She lives with her husband and two rescue pets a sweet toy fox terrier and a cat who showed up one day and moved into the house. Together, they enjoy DIY projects, furniture refinishing, gardening, and canning.
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