Nowadays, most people know to recycle in their homes as a great way to help the environment. However, for many people, that’s not enough; these families are looking to take their environmentalism even further in how they integrate their eco-friendly values into their home. If you’re looking for more ways to go green throughout your home, try some of these methods.
Keep It Clean
Keeping your home clean isn’t just good for maintaining a healthy home, it’s important for living a green lifestyle. Keeping your home clean keeps your belongings, as well as your home itself, from falling into disrepair. The cleaner your home and belongings are, the longer they’ll last, and the less frequently you’ll need to replace them. This means you’ll end up using fewer resources to create new items, as well as having fewer of your items ending up in landfills.
Keeping your items clean is usually fairly straightforward, but make sure you’re looking around your home for potential damage sources. Be especially careful about moisture or water damage. It only takes 48 hours for mold to set in and the longer things remain wet the more likely they are to be destroyed or cause permanent damage.
Reduce Energy Use
Just about everyone knows to turn off the lights when you leave a room to conserve energy, but there are other unique ways to reduce your electricity consumption at home. If you’re looking to reduce your electricity use with what you already have, cut corners and reduce usage wherever you can. Try washing your clothes in cold water or turning the thermostat down a bit.
If you’re updating your home or planning to renovate, you’ll have a few more options available. Look into unique construction methods, like modular construction, to reduce your energy use. Modular constructions reduce energy consumption during the building process by around 67% and reduces energy costs later on for occupants. Additionally, look for appliances and materials for your home that can help you save energy: energy efficient appliances, better insulation, and so on.
Reduce And Reuse
Recycling is only one part of the puzzle when it comes to living a greener lifestyle at home. To really make an environmental impact at home, you’ll also need to reduce how many new items you’re purchasing on a regular basis. This ranges from small purchases, like disposable products, to larger purchases, like home furnishings and appliances.
Whenever possible, opt for reusable items that last more than one use. For bigger purchases, look to buy second-hand or vintage items so you can give them a new life in your home. Vintage furniture is popular among U.S. consumers; around 57% of those surveyed even expressed a preference for vintage pieces. Additionally, you’ll be keeping perfectly good items out of landfills in the process.
Going green goes beyond just recycling. There are many ways you can make your home more environmentally friendly. How do you plan to reduce your environmental impact with these tips?
