Climate change is a reality we all have to face. Increased carbon emissions all over the world have sped up climate change and things will only continue to get worse.
Because of that reality, more and more people are trying to live a more eco-friendly life. The thing about going eco-friendly is that a lot of people that are on the fence about making conscious decisions think that going eco-friendly is always going to be a super expensive change. But it doesn’t have to be!
There are lots of ways to make your home more eco-friendly, but here are our top 6!
#1: Think While You Wash
A lot of people do multiple rounds of laundry every day. With each cycle, comes a lot of energy use. That’s why it’s important to be conscious of your laundry habits. This doesn’t mean to stop washing clothes, just make better decisions while doing it.
Don’t wash your clothes on the heated cycle unless your clothes are so badly stained that it’s absolutely necessary. If the day is nice and bright, skip the dryer and hang your clothes to dry, it’s better for fabrics anyway! And finally, if the load is too light, wait for it to get heavier to run the cycle, or just hand wash anything smaller to not use any energy in the whole process!
#2: Swap the Bulbs
Old school Edison bulbs might be very aesthetically pleasing, but they’re not great for the environment. Swap the old with the new! Get led bulbs instead. These will shine brighter than an Edison bulb, won’t get hot, and still use a lot less energy than them!
#3: Smart Trash
Unless you’re living a very strict no waste life, there’s going to be trash in the home. Families can gather up quite a lot of trash in just one day, but you can make a difference in your home by being smart with it. Don’t throw everything in one bin. Separate the recyclables and the composting items (food waste) from the regular trash. Take your trash from regular, to smart trash!
#4: Know What Goes Down the Drain
A lot of the pollutants in the water come from homes. The detergents, face washes, and even the sunscreen we use, eventually get washed down the drain. If we’re conscious about using natural, safe products like mineral sunscreen and eco-friendly detergents, we would greatly reduce the pollution we add to the water supply overall! If you have flushed something that shouldn’t have been in the sewers, call Sewer Cleaning Brooklyn, or a sewer cleaning service in your area to get help getting it out so the damage isn’t permanent!
#5: Treatments for the Win-Dow
While air conditioning does get the job done, it’s always good to take a few extra measures that will make it easier to control the temperature of your home. Getting double glazed windows is one, so less heat makes it into your home in the first place. Another is to get really thick curtains, so even less heat makes it inside your home, making it so you use even less energy while cooling down your home using an AC!
#6: Upcycle and Recycle Where You Can
New products come with their very own, massive carbon footprint. Whether that’s clothing or furniture. To avoid being part of that, upcycle old things from your own closet or the thrift store wherever you can. However, if you absolutely have to buy new, try looking up recycled versions of what you want! There are lots of companies that make recycled clothes, shoes, books and even furniture!
These 6 tips won’t erase your carbon footprint, but they’ll make your home a lot more eco-friendly than ever before!
