Small But Mighty Changes for a Greener Home

Like many homeowners stepping into the New Year, you’re probably looking for new ways to contribute to a healthier environment and reduce your carbon footprint. There are a number of small, but mighty changes you can make around the home which will change the way you live for the better. If you want to improve your home’s environmental impact then you may want to consider changing your energy source, growing your own vegetables and recycling more regularly. Consider some of the following ideas to transform your home into a greener, safer and more enjoyable place for everyone.

Go Solar

Solar energy is quickly becoming one of the most widely used sources of energy in the world. Not only is it reliable, but it is also easy to maintain and it can reduce your monthly bills dramatically. If you already have a home solar energy system, then you may want to consider 

solar battery backup. This will store excess power made by your  solar system during the peak times where your energy rates may be higher. Opting for residential solar energy will not only reduce your impact on the environment, but you will be saving a lot of money in the long run.

Change Up Your Laundry Habits

If you live in a household with a large family or children, then you’re probably used to washing your clothes regularly. Instead of using energy to wash your clothes, you may want to opt for cold washes. This will reduce carbon dioxide emissions and it will keep your clothes in good condition for longer. As well as altering the way you wash your clothes, you should also rethink your drying techniques. During the warmer months you may want to use an outdoor line to dry your clothing. Dryers not only reduce the quality of your clothing, bedding and towels but they also use up a lot of energy during the process. If you want to go green, drying your clothes on a rack or outside is a preferred option.

As you rethink your laundry habits, consider switching to eco washing detergent to further reduce your environmental impact while keeping your clothes fresh and clean.

Upcycle Instead of Buying New

As a nation, we are becoming more and more obsessed with buying new shiny things. Instead of falling victim to the latest adverts, it’s important to consider more environmentally friendly options. Instead of buying new items why not upcycle the things you already have? Furniture can easily be restored with a lick of paint and some new handles!

Go Energy Efficient

Solar energy has already been explored as one of the most energy efficient sources out there at the moment, but are there other things you can do around the home to improve your energy consumption? Switching to LED bulbs makes a huge difference when it comes to energy efficiency. As well as using less electricity, you will also be creating a more environmentally friendly home.

Recycle

Recycling as much as possible in and around your home is one way of contributing to a healthier planet. From glass bottles to newspapers, there are so many everyday items that can be repurposed and recycled. You may also want to invest in a compost bin to dispose of leftovers from mealtimes. This will soon turn into free fertiliser for your garden and it creates less mess in your kitchen when getting rid of food waste.

Find the Perfect Plants

You may be wondering how to make use out of the fertiliser from your new compost bin. Creating your very own herb garden is the perfect plan! Luckily, herbs don’t take up a huge amount of space in the garden; using small pots you can create delicious herbs for your dinners. As well as a herb garden, you should also decorate your home with as many house plants as possible. They can contribute to cleaner air and they also create a more welcoming environment in your home.

Go Greener in the Kitchen

There are so many different ways to go greener in the kitchen; many of these methods might be brand new information to you so take note and try to change your habits as much as possible. A number of homeowners believe that toasters aren’t energy efficient so they use the oven to make their favourite morning breakfast. In fact, using the oven for such a small meal isn’t a good use of energy at all. Investing in a toaster sooner rather than later is one surefire way to improve the energy efficiency of your home. If you do regularly use the over, then you will want to make sure the oven door is closed effectively. Keeping the door open can lead to heat loss which makes your food cook at a much slower pace. Many people are also investing in home coffee machines to save money in the long run, but many of the plastic pods are non-recyclable. Opt for a drip coffee machine instead; not only are they delicious, but this type of machine is more effective at reducing waste.

Green Cleaning

You probably clean your home once a week using shop-bought products that are laden with chemicals and unknown substances. Natural cleaning products are just as effective as regular ones and they aren’t as bad for the environment or your health. If you can’t afford the more expensive natural products then making your own cleaning products couldn’t be simpler. You can use ingredients from your kitchen such as lemon, white wine vinegar and baking soda to make all sorts of effective cleaning products for your home.

Although it can be overwhelming to change your habits all at once, it is easy to implement these small but mighty switches over a period of time. Whether you’re creating your own home cleaning products or changing the way you do your laundry, there are so many impactful changes you can make both now and in the New Year. Start to explore these changes now and see if you can reduce your impact on the environment and contribute to a cleaner planet.