Eco Friendly Home Changes for a Greener House
It’s no surprise that our ‘eco-friendly’ hope for planet earth is currently in shambles. With pollution and global warming on the rise and no concrete action on that front on large levels, it becomes essential for each person to do their little bit to undo and prevent further damage.
A great way to make your contribution to this cause is to transform your house into an “eco-home”. Such a change not only helps with environmental conservation but also reaps personal health benefits – because what’s naturally good for the earth is certainly good for earthlings too!
Introducing eco friendly home changes will also shed a load on economic expenses and require comparatively less amount of regular maintenance along with increasing the property value of your house.
To begin the journey to eco-friendly living, one needs to make some structural, psychological, and lifestyle changes. Conscious thought has to be put into all activities – be it cooking, bathing, shopping, or arranging your house. Here are some ideas, from building your home to decorating it:
1. Building An Eco-friendly Home
When your home is yet to be constructed or is under construction, there are a plethora of decisions that you’re in charge of. Thinking on the lines of green living is crucial at this stage. Proper planning can ensure an eco-friendly lifestyle in the future. This is a great opportunity to test your creativity!
Passive House Design
Haven’t heard about this before, right? Originating from Germany, the concept of a Passive House is the best way to go about building an environmentally responsible residence.
It focuses on creatively reducing heat and cooling related energy consumption by preventing or allowing the sunlight entering the house, aiding ventilation by placing windows in indigenous wind direction. An added advantage of such a design is the increased indoor comfort due to improved air quality, consistent temperatures, and reduced noise levels as a perk of insulation.
Sustainable Construction Supplies
Let us begin with the foundation, literally. Building the base of your house with eco-friendly and green materials is the first step. Concrete and bricks leave behind a big carbon footprint. Make environmentally conscious choices from the very beginning by using alternatives.
- The best option is to use a natural and renewable source whose production leads to minimal carbon emission such as sustainably sourced wood, rammed earth, or straw bale.
- Various innovative brands utilize plant, animal, bacterial and fungal sources to generate bioplastics as an option for planet-friendly construction.
- You could even consider repurposing scrap and waste material. If processed in the right ways this method would not only be good for the planet but also good for your pocket while giving your house a unique look.
- Additionally, you may get the walls in your property checked for harmful chemical components such as lead and asbestos. These are detrimental to the health of both the planet and your family.
Focus On Energy Saving
Consider investing in setting up renewable energy sources such as solar power and wind energy. In the recent past, these technologies have become easily accessible while being economical in the long term.
- Energy-efficient appliances will help you reduce your electricity consumption. Doing research to find the most energy-saving options will save you money in the long run.
- Consider using LED bulbs for lighting and programmable thermostats to adjust the temperature of your house in place of the conventional options that increase the carbon footprint considerably.
- In addition to this, investing in proper insulation can prove advantageous as it will help you trap the heat or cold from escaping to the outside hence regulating the inside temperature without any extra cost.
Rainwater Harvesting System
We learnt this age-old method since middle-school and yet we don’t consider applying it. Won’t it be great if the rain went back to our house which would otherwise go down the drain? This method helps in reducing your water consumption and aiding the current water shortage situation. Since rainwater is mostly unpolluted, it can be utilized for any or every purpose with just basic filtration.
Eco-friendly Furniture
Whether you are buying or getting your furniture custom made, it would be worthwhile to make use of options in wood or recyclable material such as glass or metal to make sure they are sustainable.
When looking for eco friendly home changes then Bamboo furniture is the ideal option as it grows at a fast pace without the use of any chemicals and is durable in the long run.
2. Sustainable Home Décor
What is a green home without planet-friendly accents adornments? You can make environmentally responsible decisions in the following ways-
Use Sustainably Sourced Items
These products are made from natural, recycled material that is non-toxic to the environment in both the short and long term.
It is also important that these products not just use the right material in their production but also follow an ethical manufacturing process that doesn’t leave behind a high carbon footprint or excess of residual waste. This also applies when you’re choosing paints for your house. One should ensure that only non-toxic paints with zero PoC are used on the walls.
Try Repurposing
Being eco-friendly doesn’t have to be a tiring process (in fact, it’s a lot of fun!). Indulge your creative mind in trying to find new functions of old and unused miscellaneous items lying around your house. You can try out various DIY art and craft projects to turn useless into useful!
Choose Timeless, Durable, and Minimal
When picking house décor elements, invest in timeless and sturdy, evergreen pieces instead of following fast trends. Trying a ‘Minimalist style’ could add to this as most of these pieces fit well in any theme and take up less space and effort.
Minimalism also makes sure that you consume less product and in the long run produce less waste. This way you could do away with random items being put in a corner or eventually thrown when they grow out of use.
Fill Your House With Houseplants
Because, what would an essentially green home feel like without any actual greens in it? Indoor plants not only add to the appearance of the house but also increase the amount of oxygen available to you inside and cut down the pollutants. Needless to say, the more plants you grow, the better it is for our planet.
Ambiance
To set the right ambiance, many households use aerosol sprays with artificial fragrances that are made of harmful chemicals. Opt for scented candles, diffusers, or unscented air purifiers that are non-toxic while achieving the same goal.
3. Green Kitchen
Eating Green
Putting careful thought into what you eat is not just good for your health but also the earth. The Vegan diet has become a trend but when you consider it as a lifestyle you tend to stick to it better.
Vegetarian and Vegan diets focus on eating fresh produce as opposed to highly processed alternatives that are higher in the food chain as such options take up a higher level of energy and contribute to the increase in global warming. It is quite an alarming proposition that what you put on your plate every day could contribute to around 20-30% of greenhouse gas emissions!
Carefully Choose Utensils
Image source: https://freesonceramics.com/
Plastics! Man’s great discovery, but also a mistake if handled carelessly.
- Resist buying disposable utensils made of plastic. Being non-biodegradable, such materials once thrown are accumulated in landfills and become a cause of concern.
- Consider alternatives like bamboo or ceramic tableware that could be degraded after use or stainless steel that is made with recycled metal.
- It is highly recommended to carry a thermos or flask for water and a portable pouch containing reusable cutlery with you at all times to prevent you from using disposables.
Buy Local
Eating a locally raised seasonal diet keeps you healthier, while reducing the food miles traveled to get food from a farm to your plate. Such food is also fresh, less processed and comes with minimal packaging.
Use Sustainable Alternatives
Opt for cloth towels in place of paper towels, jute or paper bags in place of plastic ones, and muslin cloth or zip lock bags as opposed to the conventional cling wrap or aluminum foil. These small but sustainable choices can bring big changes.
Reduce Water Wastage
The kitchen is an area of extensive water consumption. Try minimizing the amount of water utilized in washing dishes. Repurpose the water used to rinse your veggies in innovative ways like watering your plants.
Composting Waste
Separate your kitchen waste so that you can compost the biodegradable part. Making a compost pit is extremely easy and the by-product can later be used to provide essential nutrients in your garden. Of course lowering your food waste in the first place is a great place to start too
Grow A Kitchen Garden
Here is the juicy part! If you’re into gardening, then you can grow veggies, fruits, and other native yard plants in your very own garden. This way you can make sure you know what your family eats is free from chemicals, organically grown, and healthy in every way. It is also an economical option as in the long run you wouldn’t have to buy any of these natural products from a store and it will help reduce food waste as you’ll only harvest what you need or you can share your crops with friends and neighbours
4. Ecological Bathroom
Water-Saving Fixtures
Being a good global citizen today requires us to follow water-saving steps. Certain plumbing fixtures allow you to use less water and also reuse the used water.
Consider having a dual flush toilet, advanced faucets and showerheads that restrict water flow, and fixtures that could allow you to save and reuse greywater for flushing and cleaning. Advanced faucets make use of faucet aerators to provide proper flow by introducing air bubbles in the stream and reduce the output in the water stream.
Shower Instead Of Baths
Opt for a quick shower instead of taking a dip in the bathtub. It is more economical and hygienic. Reducing the amount of time spent in the shower could also substantially decrease your water consumption.
Choose Products Wisely
There are a wide array of products available for both personal care and cleaning purposes. Prefer to use clean, natural products with the least amount of chemicals and less packaging.
For instance, you could try solid shampoo and conditioners as opposed to their liquid alternatives with heavy plastic packaging. Soaps bars dissolve in water more readily than detergents.
You can also reuse shampoo, body wash, or another packaging for storage instead of buying newer containers. The bulky and luxurious packaging may give you a bougie vibe but often batter down the environment with toxic wastes.
Fix Leaks As Soon As They Occur
Let us all admit that we do not fix a problem until it gets out of hand. Leakage is one of the leading contributors to large scale freshwater wastage. It doesn’t take much time to fix a leak and it saves long term wastage and the risk of further corrosion and molds.
Be Mindful
To ensure ecologically sound living you have to make sure you are conscious and mindful about what you do and how you do it. Although the above guidelines will provide inspiration and guide you on the ideal way to go, their effectiveness is subjective to your lifestyle, location, and environment.
The modern world calls for us to be creative and make environmentally sound decisions while building our homes. The above suggestions will help you make sound judgement calls while making your home appealing and truly worth living in.
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