Green Living Ideas: 10 Easy Ways To “Go Green” In Your Home

How to Create an Eco-Friendly Home

There is no need for environmental protection to be complex. It makes perfect sense to make every effort to conserve energy and protect the environment. You don’t need extra time or money to take care of the world; there are many tiny, basic ways you can contribute, beginning with your own home.

Here are some of the simplest and most efficient ways to green your home.

1) Invest in Energy-Efficient Appliances

Thousands of dollars are spent year on electricity to power our homes. The latest data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (PDF) indicate that the average monthly electricity cost for American households was $112.59. And this is just for power; after you factor in natural gas and other transportation costs, your annual expenditures begin to skyrocket.

Using energy-efficient equipment in your house is one of the simplest ways to reduce your overall energy consumption.

When purchasing a new appliance for your home, look for the EnergyStar logo. EnergyStar certified appliances have been tested, evaluated, and certified to consume less energy. These are appliances that are meant to use the least amount of energy feasible to fulfill a task, whether through the use of renewable energy (such as water or solar power) or the smallest amount of energy possible.

So, if it’s time to replace any of your appliances, why not get one that is very energy efficient? You may either purchase EnergyStar-rated appliances (which can save you up to 30% on your energy expenses) or just replace old appliances with more efficient models.

2) Opt for a Programmable Thermostat

When you’re not at home, you should turn off the heat and air conditioner, but this tiny gesture might be easy to overlook. The programmable thermostat is here!

This sort of thermostat helps to adjust the temperature of your home based on pre-programmed parameters. There are numerous advantages to using a programmable thermostat, but the two most significant are that they can help you reduce your energy consumption and save money. It’s a win-win situation for everyone.

3) Fix Leaks As Soon As Possible

Leaking toilets and faucets may appear to be insignificant, but even the slightest leak can waste a significant amount of water.

Pay attention to any dripping sounds you may hear around your home, and keep an eye on your water bill – sudden rises in your monthly water cost are sometimes caused by everyday leaks. Furthermore, any type of water leak can cause other problems in your home, ranging from too much humidity in the air to the likelihood of severe water damage.

Bottom line: if you find a leak in your home, immediately cut off the water and contact a plumber to repair it before gallons of water are wasted.

4) Give Solar Energy A Try

Every year, residential solar electricity becomes increasingly prevalent. Solar panels are a simple and effective solution to make your home more environmentally friendly; you can either buy or lease them. In most situations, even the leasing price is less than a usual electricity bill; additionally, if you utilize solar power to power your home, you will not have an electricity bill.

5) Switch to CFL or LED Lights

Switching to CFL or LED lights is a reasonably inexpensive and simple solution to lessen your environmental footprint. According to the EIA, house illumination accounts for 9% of monthly residential power consumption.

Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and light-emitting diodes (LEDs) not only cost less to operate, but they also have a longer lifespan than most traditional bulbs (both CFLs and LEDs often last 10-25 times longer than incandescent bulbs! ), which can tremendously aid in the struggle to preserve energy. Furthermore, LED and CFL lights emit less heat, allowing your air conditioner to rest throughout the summer.

6) Recycle and Compost

If you haven’t started recycling and composting yet, now is the time! Recycling garbage is relatively simple given that most communities pick up and process recyclables. Make things even easy on yourself by placing a recycle container in your kitchen and other areas of your home.

Furthermore, composting has come a long way in the last few years; whether you live in an apartment or a house, there are a variety of backyard or in-house bins available. Given the environmental impact of food waste, composting is a wonderful approach to reduce your carbon footprint and keep your home as green as possible.

7) Go Paperless With Online Statements (& Just Say No to Junk Mail!)

In this day and age, paper mailings are a huge waste. Keep in mind that most energy companies and cable companies allow you to get your bills online. To adjust your preferences for getting statements, simply log on to the company’s website or contact a supplier.

Furthermore, it is critical to be aware of how to decline all of the many credit card and insurance offers that will definitely come your way. This way, you may help reduce the number of trees that must be cut down as well as the quantity of plane and car exhaust related with mail delivery.

8) Collect & Use Rainwater

Rainwater collection does not have to be complicated! Consider for a moment that a single night of rain can pour almost 200 gallons of water on your home’s roof. As a result, the vast majority of this water just drains down the street and into the sewer systems.

Why not try to gather some of it? Rainwater collection is extremely useful to the environment.

You can use this (free) water in your garden or lawn instead of a sprinkler. This will not only help you reduce the quantity of water you use each month, but it will also save you a significant amount of money.

Begin by purchasing just one rainwater barrel. You’ll quickly realize how simple it is and want to develop from there.

9) Or, Just Reduce Your Water Use Altogether

Aside from using less water for minor landscaping activities outside, think about how you may use less water indoors as well.

One simple option to save water is to install low-flow faucets and shower heads in your home. Older shower heads use about five gallons of water per minute, which can quickly mount up if you have numerous people in your household. Low-flow shower heads and faucets can significantly cut water consumption while also saving a significant amount of electricity.

There are thousands of simple strategies to reduce water consumption in your home, but here are four to get you started:

• Using cold water to wash your clothes.
• Begin air-drying your clothes.
• When brushing your teeth, turn off the water.
• In your yard, use natural plants and vegetation (these generally require much less water and fertilizers).

10) Stop Buying Paper Towels

Rather than buying paper towels every week (which can build up to be a tremendous waste! ), invest in a couple packs of reusable microfiber towels for cleaning and cloth napkins for mealtimes.

You may even repurpose old t-shirts as clothes. Then, when you have a full load, simply drop these towels into the laundry. Simple and quite effective!