Environment
10 Ingenious Ways To Make Your Home More Eco-Friendly
On average, every person in the UK emitted 4.85t of CO2 in 2020. These numbers have been on the decline for the last 30 years. However, our efforts still need to continue.
There are many easy and inexpensive solutions that will help your household to become more eco-friendly and, at the same time, give your home more character. For example, you can reuse many things that you already have at home and give them a new purpose. Our tips on how to make your home eco-friendlier will help you to get started and reduce the CO2 emissions of your household.
There are a lot of benefits to shifting towards a green lifestyle. However, you have to know how to go about it.
Use Non-Toxic Cleaning Products And Detergents Around Your House
You will want to use eco-friendly cleaning products to clean your home. Most people have cupboards full of cleaning products and detergents from a store. However, not everyone realises how all those chemicals can influence water once it goes down the drain.
The use of these products makes it incredibly hard to filter and clean the water again to make it up to standards. If you would like your household to be more gentle to the environment, you can try to create some cleaning products from things you have in the pantry. For instance, you can use lemon juice, vinegar or bicarbonate of soda to degrease and clean surfaces in your home and kill bacteria without leaving an unpleasant smell.
Switching to an eco friendly laundry detergent can further reduce your household’s environmental impact. Traditional laundry detergents often contain harsh chemicals and synthetic fragrances that can damage aquatic ecosystems. By choosing eco-friendly options, such as laundry detergent sheets made from natural ingredients, you can ensure your laundry routine is both effective and gentle on the planet. These small changes in your cleaning habits can collectively make a significant positive impact on environmental conservation.
Invest In Double-Glazed Windows
Windows can be another place where the heat escapes from your home. Double-glazed windows will help you to keep all the warmth inside the building and help your radiators to heat up the room more quickly. Consider purchasing double-glazed windows and improve the insulation of the building at the same time. Like this, you will reduce your carbon footprint and save more on your energy bills, too. Investing in double-glazed windows will be a decision that can pay off in the long run, and you can use the saved funds on other features that will make your home more sustainable.
Get A Roof That Will Protect The Heat Of Your Home From Escaping
Suppose you invest in a quality roof that will protect your home. Companies such as ClearAmber Shop can provide you with plastic roof sheets, polycarbonate sheets or corrugated roofing sheets that are environmentally friendly. By installing these, you will move your home closer to a sustainable way of living and save money on your energy bills at the same time. The roof will protect you from bad weather and ensure that there is no cold air flowing in. This way, you will reduce your electricity or gas usage and your CO2 emissions simultaneously. The roofing sheets’ materials will keep your family safe and warm while being an eco-friendly solution.
Pick The Right Shower Head To Save More Water
Just like electricity and gas, water is getting more expensive, too. If you would like to cut down your water bill, then you need to pay attention to how much water you use and regulate it. For example, when you take a shower, you use less water than you would when using a bathtub. But it does not make that much difference if you spend 30 minutes under the running water. With this in mind, you should consider purchasing a low-flow shower head. This way, you will use less water while keeping the same amount of water pressure. In the end, you will use less water, reduce your bills and be more sustainable.
Harvest Rainwater And Give It A New Purpose
Most people use rainwater for watering their plants and gardens. But some also use the water for cleaning, bathing or drinking. If you harvest rainwater and then use it for a different purpose in your house or the garden, you can cut down your primary water usage by a significant amount. You can start by getting an inexpensive water butt where you can collect the water on rainy days and store it there. However, you need to be careful with the maintenance so the water can be of the required quality for your intended use. Whether you want to water your garden or need more water to clean your car, rainwater can save your financial resources and reduce expenses.
Transform Your Food Waste Into A Compost
Turning any food waste and scraps from your cooking into compost can be very easy. All you need to do is to buy a compost bin from a DIY store. These bins are not expensive, and it is very simple to take care of. Then, all you need to do is to throw the waste or scraps into the bin and leave it be. After some time, it will turn into compost which you can use in your garden. The compost will improve the quality of the soil and bring your plants even more nutrients than before. At the same time, it can protect them from drought and maintain normal acidity values.
Let Recycled And Vintage Furniture Bring More Character Into Your Home
You do not need to buy the furniture you loved so much in the latest catalogue. Today’s market is full of many different options that are more eco-friendly than the newest furniture from brand designers. Now you can buy furniture made of recycled wood or other materials, which is much more sustainable than other options. However, even though the furniture is made of recycled materials, you are still getting a brand new piece of furniture. You can also look through antique stores and see if you can find any treasures that would make your home feel more special and bring more personality.
Maintain Your Appliances Regularly
Maintaining your appliances carefully and regularly will lower your energy usage and reduce your carbon footprint. For instance, it is essential that you clean the coils of your fridge once in a while. This will keep your food cold, and the refrigerator will use less energy. When the coils are dusty and dirty, the fridge generates more heat and, as a result, uses more electricity than it would when clean. To remove any dust and lint, you can use a brush that will get rid of the dirt easily. Such simple maintenance will help you keep your energy bills low and, consequently, be more eco-friendly.
Avoid Dryer When Possible
If possible, you should avoid using a dryer. Especially in warmer months, it is much better to line-dry your clothes. Hanging in the sun and fresh air makes the laundry smell much nicer. On top of that, your clothes will last longer if you hang them on the line rather than put them into the dryer. However, if you are using a dryer regularly, remember to clean the filter. If your dryer has a dirty filter, it uses much more energy than it needs to and increases your bills significantly.
Decorate Your Home With Thicker Curtains
The interior will look more luxurious and timeless if you decorate your home with thicker curtains. However, at the same time, they can help you to lower your carbon footprint. Especially in the warmer months, they will help you to keep a room colder and protect it from the intense sun. This way, you will not need to turn on your fan or aircon and reduce your energy expenses. On the other hand, thicker curtains can help conserve heat in the room and make it faster for radiators to make the room warmer.