40 Ways to Go Greener at Home Besides Just Recycling

how to be more environmentally friendly at home

Hempcrete is a material used as both a structural element and an insulation and contains hemp fibres, sand and lime. Last up, timbercrete is a material that contains concrete mixed with sawdust. The sawdust replaces the most energy-intensive materials in traditional concrete, thereby reducing its overall footprint. To help https://ecosoberhouse.com/ cut down on your family’s food waste, always shop with a list, since impulse buys are more likely to be wasted. Look for compostable packaging when you can, or try to stick to fresh, not processed and packaged food (which will be healthier for you anyway). Once you get home, try to plan out your meals for the week (or even better, do this step before you hit the supermarket).

Clean or replace air filters

But bringing plants into your home is about more than just what they add — they can also clean the air from toxins like benzene. Plants like the golden pothos and Boston fern are especially beneficial for air purification. Why waste money and energy on heating and illuminating your home when you have natural sunlight and heat right outside your window?

how to be more environmentally friendly at home

Save water with a low-flow shower head

  • Repeated exposure to these cleaning products can affect your health and the environment.
  • Inspiring kids to contribute to a greener environment and world is something we could and should do.
  • Receive offers, marketing and promotions via email or phone from Leads.io about GreenMatch or our brands and affiliates to help you save.
  • Emissions from aviation could take up one-sixth of the carbon budget remaining to limit 1.5 degrees of global warming.

“It’s also a great way to enjoy some fresh air while doing your laundry,” she says. Home energy auditors check for air leakage, determine your insulation levels and inspect your fireplaces, lights and smoke detectors. Best of all, Fasullo says the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) covers 30% of the cost of the audit (up to $150), making this step a no-brainer.

Get a Home Energy Audit

As well as being healthy and delicious, it is free from the carbon footprint of shop-bought food (WWF-UK, nd). Buy an inexpensive reusable water bottle, and stop buying plastic disposable bottles. My favorite is the Kleen Kanteen with the sport cap for everyday use and the foldable Vapur for travel. When it’s time, replace appliances to energy efficient models (look for the “energy star” label). Pesticide use can contaminate water, threatening local aquatic systems as well as the wider ecosystem. These chemicals are harmful not only to ecosystems and human health but also to pets and wildlife.

how to be more environmentally friendly at home

  • Recycled gold jewelry is kind to the environment and also lowers the demand for newly mined gold.
  • Don’t go to a big brand furniture store to buy the latest and the newest!
  • It actually wasn’t until the mid-twentieth century that roofing and siding products made from synthetic materials even became popular.
  • You can also install a low flow shower head to cut down on water usage even more.

Turf products installed by a reputable artificial grass company how to be more environmentally friendly at home can last upwards of years, meaning homeowners will likely see a return on their investment within 2-7 years. And if you keep your shower unter five minutes total, you can save up to 1,000 gallons yearly. It’s one of the essential characteristics of LED bulbs that makes them ideal for your energy conservation at home. You can leave the lights on if you’ll return to your room within 15 minutes.

The Basics of LED Lighting

Did you know your shampoo, soap, makeup, and other beauty products could be harming you and the environment? To be more eco-friendly, opt for brands that only use natural ingredients like these 32 natural beauty products. Instead of letting your food scraps end up in a landfill, start composting your leftover food scraps to start a garden. Washing windows from top to bottom helps you avoid having to redo parts, thus saving you water and cleaning solution. You can find food and products created in areas that focus on sustainability.

how to be more environmentally friendly at home

Insulate with alternative building materials like recycled denim

  • More than half of that outdoor water is used for watering lawns and gardens.
  • However, new regulations from the UK government mean that fixing faulty appliances is much easier because suppliers must now offer spare parts for products.
  • We asked those questions to some of Stanford’s sustainability experts, who very much believe that we can each contribute to a better world through relatively simple acts.
  • With a smart thermostat, it’s easy to schedule your HVAC to run less while you’re out for the day, so you’ll use less energy by cooling your home only while you’re in it.
  • What a difference taking care of such little leaks can make on your water use.
  • This allows you to generate your own reliable, sustainable and low-maintenance source of energy.
  • Do you want to make your home a more sustainable, eco-friendly space?

Being away for too long wastes energy that could otherwise have been plugged off. So, before going on vacation, unplug your devices from the wall sockets to save electricity. The average item of fresh food travels 1,500 miles before we buy it. These carbon-heavy value chains create emissions through transport, refrigeration and production processes. If you want some new clothing, be sure it’s of good drug addiction treatment quality and lasts a long time. You can also research sustainable brands that limit the impact of production and are transparent about their supply chains.

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You can buy a compost bin very cheaply from many home/DIY outlets and some refuse services will offer to give them free of charge to households, to place in their kitchens. Scrape any leftover, or old food into them and simply leave it be. Over time it will turn into useful compost that can be used in the garden. In the past, there have been complaints that they simply don’t throw out enough light, or that they take a long time to light a room properly. Improvements in their technology are happening all the time and now more than ever is the right time to make the switch.