Cultivating an Environmentally-Friendly Home

It’s easy to blame large corporations for the existential issue of climate change, but everyone is culpable for their own behavior. The old adage is “think globally, act locally” and there is no better place to start than your own home. When you do your best to make your home environmentally-friendly, you will have the peace of mind that you’re doing the right thing. While you won’t be able to change the world or even the behavior of others, feel better about your own actions by doing your part and making a difference.

Install Solar Panels

A great way to produce energy and lower the carbon footprint of your household is to install solar panels. There’s great news. They don’t have to look ugly anymore. Tesla has even created a solar roof that stylishly produces energy from the sun. When you install panels and start creating your own power, you may even be able to sell some of it back to the power grid. It is a great way to cut down on your power use and decrease your carbon footprint.

Use Smart Appliances

Another way to save power is to use smart appliances. If you can afford to upgrade to these smart alternatives, you will be able to save energy and water with smart washers and dryers. Smart refrigerators will decrease power usage and a smart thermostat will enable you to control the temperature of your home from anywhere using your phone. Not only will this make your house much more comfortable, it will remarkably lower your power usage from heat and cooling. The thermostat is actually the biggest culprit when it comes to energy use.

Insulate your Home

To save even more on your heating and cooling bills while lowering your negative effect on the environment is to properly insulate your home. If heat is escaping through the windows or attic, installing effective insulation will lower your payments and use less power. Insulation will lower your impact on the environment while keeping more money in your pocket.

Buy Sustainable Products

You can make a difference by purchasing sustainable products. First, you should take a look into a zero waste store where you can find all kinds of organic and green household items. Buy organic soaps instead of the chemical alternatives. Look into organic shampoo and conditioner. Go for bamboo straws, toothbrushes, cutlery, paper products, and reusable cotton rounds. There is even bedding and pillows made out of bamboo. Wool dryer balls will decrease the amount of energy you use drying your clothing and can be reused again and again.

Switch to LED Lights

To cut down on the energy usage of your lights, it is imperative to switch to LED lights. Not only will these bulbs cut down on your power use quite a bit, they use 75 percent less energy and are much better for the environment. While LEDs are more expensive than standard traditional bulbs, they last so much longer than incandescent lights. You’ll be surprised at how much replacing traditional light bulbs will change your lighting bills and decrease your carbon footprint.

Turn Down your Water Heater

Finally, another way to cut down on your power use and decrease your carbon footprint is to turn down your water heater. If you put your sink on high heat and can’t stand to keep your hands in the water, you can probably turn the water heater down. You might not notice the difference, but you will notice when your bills go down. Heating your water can be quite expensive because it uses a lot of power.

Climate change is a global problem, but you can start with your own home. Creating an eco-friendly home will enable you to do your best to mitigate your personal impact on the environment. This will give you the peace of mind that you are doing your best to lessen the negative effect on the natural world. Luckily there are many things you can do to reduce your carbon footprint. What are you waiting for? If you get started to cultivate an environmentally-friendly home, you will be able to continue moving forward and making the world a better place. It is all about changing your mindset.