6 Green Products Every Homeowner Must Have

As a homeowner, you have a responsibility to manage your property and do your part to make the world a cleaner, more sustainable place. And while there are many different ways in which you can promote eco-friendly habits, it all starts with the products you purchase.

6 Green Products You Need

From the bedroom to the garage, there are green alternatives to just about every wasteful product on the market. Let’s take a look at a few of the things everyone should consider.

1. Natural Latex Mattress

If you’re in the market for a new mattress, consider going with a natural latex mattress. Whereas memory foam mattresses are made from artificial materials, many latex options are totally natural. Just make sure you read the fine print.

“Unfortunately a ‘natural’ mattress doesn’t necessarily mean 100% natural in this industry,” expert Joe Auer explains. “Sometimes companies will use 10% natural latex and 90% synthetic latex and still call it a natural mattress.  The reason is that natural materials are significantly more expensive, and at the end of the day people frequently choose their wallet over fear of chemicals or desire for an eco-friendly product.”

2. Rechargeable Batteries

Batteries remain one of the most complicated items on the market in terms of recycling. They contain large amounts of dangerous metals – such as lead – making disposal difficult. The best solution is to use rechargeable batteries. They cost a lot more when you purchase them, but they’ll save you in the long run. Most importantly, though, they’ll save the environment.

3. Organic Cleaners

Believe it or not, the household cleaning industry is largely unregulated. The products you find on supermarket shelves are full of harmful chemicals that damage the environment and your family. The great news is there are plenty of healthy alternatives. Using materials like baking soda, vinegar, water, and various oils, you can make your own cleaners that are healthy and less abrasive.

4. Solar Powered Outdoor Lighting

Landscape lighting makes a great addition to any home. Not only do lights provide safety and protection, but they also accentuate the best features of your home. Unfortunately, standard lights are inefficient and expensive. If you want a green alternative, go with solar powered lights. They use energy from the sun and don’t hike up your monthly utility bill.

5. Cloth Napkins

“When you factor in all of the components of making a paper towel or napkins (harvesting the material, processing and bleaching it, packaging it, shipping it, stocking it at a supermarket, transportation to and from the store to purchase it, etc.) all for a single use, you find that the paper towels and napkins are about twice as energy-intensive [as cloth napkins] and create more greenhouse gases overall,” Organic Authority points out.

In other words, you need to start using cloth napkins instead of napkins and paper towels. While it does require the extra effort of washing, it’s exponentially cheaper and more effective to trade paper for cloth.

6. Electric Lawn Equipment

Finally, it’s worth mentioning electric lawn equipment. While gas-powered lawn mowers, blowers, and trimmers are powerful, they guzzle gas and release harmful emissions. Go with an electric alternative for a quieter and healthier solution.

Be a Responsible Homeowner

There’s a common myth that it’s more expensive to be eco-friendly than it is to purchase normal products and follow the same routines that everyone else does. This is nothing more than a fallacy. As you can see, purchasing green products may cost more on the front end, but they almost always provide savings down the road. Take cost out of the equation, and there’s no excuse for an unsustainable home.