Everyone’s talking about going green, but it’s not always easy to turn words into actions. If you want to make your home more eco-friendly but don’t know where to begin, try these smart ideas. Whether you’re looking for a small solution or a grand gesture, there’s a strategy to suit your style.
Source Products and Services Locally
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Many families slip easily into the habit of buying what they need in as few stops as possible. This usually means shopping at big box stores where you’ll find everything from paint to pomegranates just aisles apart. Unfortunately, this convenience comes at a price, and it’s the planet that pays it. When items are shipped in from around the world, there’s an extensive environmental impact associated with every product on the shelf.
Limit the miles that your items travel by buying local when possible. This could mean purchasing produce from local farms, frequenting a mom and pop bakery, or buying furniture from garage sales or secondhand stores.
You can also help limit car emissions by sourcing your services locally. Look for tradespeople who live as close as possible, whether you’re hiring a photographer, carpenter, plumber, or interior designer. Enrich your own neighborhood and support local, independently owned businesses as often as you can.
Reconsider Your Landscaping
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Mindful landscaping can make your yard as functional as it is attractive. Shade windows with deciduous trees to limit exposure to hot summer sunlight. These trees will provide leaf cover in summer when you want to keep the home cool, but they will drop their leaves to let the sun naturally warm your home during cool winter months. Use coniferous trees to block chilly northwest winds and reduce your heating costs.
If you have the space, let part of your lawn grow naturally to create a wildlife habitat. Focus on plants that are native to your local area and avoid invasive exotics like Japanese honeysuckle or multiflora rose. Compost your own waste for a natural fertilizer that will reduce your waste production and enrich your soil.
Upgrade Your Energy Source
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Rethink where your electricity comes from. Stepping back from the grid and producing your own electricity is as easy as installing solar panels on your home. Most people are surprised to find that solar panels cost much less than they expect. Once installed, a solar energy system can reduce your energy bills as much as 40 percent. If you don’t have the funds up front, you can even lease a solar system or take out a low-interest loan for this smart energy-efficient upgrade.
Reprogram Your Thermostat
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Take a close look at your thermostat settings and reconsider the way you heat and cool your home. Are you using the same settings when you’re away as you do when you’re home? Adjust your thermostat to use less heating or cooling energy during the day when everyone is at school or work. Do the same at night while you’re sleeping.
Try adjusting your thermostat just a few degrees to test your true comfort levels. You may find that you can keep your home a little warmer in summer and cooler in winter without noticing the difference. Use a ceiling fan set to counter-clockwise rotation in summer to create a cooling wind chill effect. In winter, set it to rotate clockwise so it creates a gentle warming updraft.
Conduct an Electricity Audit
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Go through your home and meticulously note every appliance and fixture that uses electricity, from your night lights and curling iron to the television, refrigerator, and dishwasher. Reevaluate these items and look for ways you can reduce your energy use.
Plug items into power strips that you can turn off at night to end the gradual sap of energy that takes place even when electronics are turned off. Switch all light bulbs to energy-efficient compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs). Consider upgrading to energy-efficient appliances if you’re using outdated models. Look closely, and you’ll find opportunities to limit your energy use in nearly every room.
Creating a more eco-friendly home can be as small as the local apples on your table or as large as the solar panels on your roof. What’s important is that you make a step in the right direction with greener strategies.
