Terri Ramsey Beavers The two most common causes of environmental damage are single-use plastics and carbon dioxide emissions. While not everyone has the financial means to install solar panels or purchase Energy Star appliances, there are still simple measures that may be taken to reduce a household’s carbon footprint. These adjustments won’t break the bank or take up too much of your time, but they will have a significant impact and make your house more environmentally friendly.
Without further ado, here are some easy ways to reduce your household’s environmental impact.
Reuse what you can
Some of the most interesting and original decorating ideas come from repurposing and recycling old construction supplies or pieces of furniture. If you’re remodeling, it’s possible you’ll save bricks from a destroyed wall or salvage wood flooring from the attic for further use.
You may use your ingenuity to give an old piece of furniture new life by giving it a fresh coat of paint or a new shine. If the skeleton of your current cabinets is in good shape, you may recycle them and replace just the fronts and surfaces with new ones while you’re installing a new kitchen. It’s a win-win situation since you’ll be able to make your house more eco-friendly while reducing expenses.
Make sure your home is properly insulated
Insulating your home will prevent warm air from escaping during the colder months and heat from coming in during the summer. Whether you live in the city or the village, quality wall insulation will be your lifesaver.
Not only will you spend much less money on heating up your home or cooling it down with the AC, but you’ll also lessen your environmental impact. After all, you’ll be spending less energy!
Do the laundry in cold water
Most of the energy used by a washing machine goes toward heating the water. So, you may save money by not heating the water and instead washing your clothes in the cold water setting of your washing machine.
Using cold water for laundry not only helps the environment by reducing your carbon footprint, but it also helps your clothing last longer by preserving their shape and color when washed in hot water, which may damage the fabric and dull the hues of your vibrant garments.
There’s no need to use the hot water option on your washing machine unless you’re washing something stained by oil or something similarly difficult to remove. If you don’t think the cold water works, you may always switch to the warm option. When compared to the hot water setting, it uses considerably less energy but cleans better than the cold water option.
Let there be light
Getting more sun is good for your health since it increases your vitamin D and B levels, but it has also been shown to raise your overall energy levels. Those of you lucky enough to be able to work from home should consider putting your workstation in a spot where they may benefit from the natural light coming in.
You may also add roof windows to your house in order to increase the amount of natural light you let in. The more sunshine that can make its way inside, the less need there is for electric lighting and artificial heating.
Upgrade to low-energy-consuming LEDs
When it comes to saving the planet, LED lights are by far the best option. They use 90% less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs and don’t have any mercury or lead in them. A longer lifespan is another benefit of using energy-saving lights. They have a lifespan of up to 10,000 hours, which is two to four times that of traditional light bulbs.
So, switching to LED bulbs is a surefire way to make a big difference for the environment because it saves energy. Plus, you don’t have to buy as many new bulbs.
Get a recycling and composting bin
Owning a recycling container makes people more likely to recycle things like glass bottles, jars, paper, and cardboard.
Having a compost bin will make it easier to get rid of waste and will provide you with free fertilizer to use on your plants. Modern compost containers are hygienic and odorless. They simplify your life further by aiding in the elimination of unnecessary garbage.