Simple Ways to Green Your Home
While many of us want to live in a way that’s more energy efficient and easier on the earth, some of the most publicized ways to change your lifestyle can be a bit complicated and expensive. Not all of us have the skills to install solar panels on our roof, or to build our own chicken coop in the backyard. The good news is, there are a lot of simple things you can do to reduce your home energy consumption—you just have to be willing to change your habits.
Collect Rainwater
Stick an old trash can or barrel under your gutters, and voila—you’ve just found a way to cut down on your water consumption, and your spending. Collected rainwater is most often used to water outdoor plants or your lawn, but it can also be used to flush toilets.
Buy a Power Strip
Did you know that there are many appliances that keep sucking energy out of your wall sockets, even when they’re completely turned off? It’s true. Most culprits have a glowing LED light at all times of the day, a signal to you that they’re still discreetly using power. Using a power strip for all your electronics means you have the ability to cut them off at the source, and to stop that slow seepage of power when you’re not even using them.
Stop Junk Mail
Not only is it annoying to get 10 credit card offers in the mail everyday—it’s also a heinous waste of natural resources. You can go a step beyond simply recycling your unwanted catalogs and circulars, however; you can remove yourself completely from the junk mail cycle. Check out 41Pounds, an organization that can help you get off those unwanted mailing lists.
Use DIY Cleaners
Many household cleaning products contain noxious chemicals whose manufacturing process is hard on the earth. And, when these cleaners go down your drain, they end up in nearby reservoirs, or at water treatment plants, where they take time and money to remove. You can actually make cleaning products for nearly all your cleaning needs at home with cheap products you probably already have around. Baking soda, vinegar, and cornstarch are only a few of the items that make excellent nontoxic cleaners.
Change to CFLs
Those weird curly light bulbs have been the darling of the green movement for some time. What’s the big deal? Well, CFLs last roughly 10 times longer your normal incandescent light bulb, and they use 75 percent less energy. While they cost a bit more than regular light bulbs, replacing 17 bulbs in your house with CFLs is nearly equivalent to taking one car off the road for a year. Not too shabby.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Americans are suckers for packaging. We love it, but all that extra plastic and paper is a real waste. If you don’t have dedicated recycling bins, you should definitely buy two right now—one for paper and cardboard, and one for glass, metal, and plastic. But the three Rs go beyond just disposing of your waste properly. Find ways to reuse common throw-away goods like plastic bags (they’re great to bring back to the store to hold your produce, for example). Do your best to avoid buying items with unnecessary and unrecyclable packaging that will inevitably end up in a landfill.
Source:
10 Ways to Green Your Home. (2011) Live Science.