Most people think that by installing solar panels or by using less electricity they’re doing Earth a favor and there’s no need to make more changes. Although these decisions are a step in the right direction, it is far from enough.
READ ALSO: Buhari visits Tinubu in London
Here nine more things you should be doing that will help you create a more sustainable home and reduce your impact on our environment.
1. Choose energy efficient products
Did you know that using compact fluorescent light bulbs you can use only one third of previous electricity? Besides that, this particular type of light bulbs is much more nature friendly. According to experts one replaced light bulb can lead to 300 pounds greenhouse less emission. Besides that, you can also help out by turning off the items that are seldom used such as the pool pump or phone and laptop chargers.
2. Opt for a smaller home
In the Western nations, a bigger home signifies wealth, privilege and status. However a bigger home also requires more stuff because there is more ‘space’ that needs filling. If you consider the daily energy consumption of a larger home particularly for cooling and heating, and if you consider the resources needed to build a bigger home, larger homes are just not as sustainable as smaller homes.
As people are choosing to have smaller families and are now prioritising “experiences over things” smaller homes make perfect sense. Not to mention it’s a more economic and eco-friendlier way to live.
3. Washing your dishes
Instead of using a dishwasher, try to hand wash as often as possible. Dishwashers are great for saving time but it also uses lots of water and electricity. We recommending washing all your dishes at once if you want to maximise time and water efficiency.
4. Don’t purchase unnecessary household items
Items that usually contain toxic chemicals and that you can live without: air fresheners, hair sprays, fabric softener and perfume. The truth of the matter is that we are exposing ourselves to various harmful particles making us prone to asthma and other respiratory issues.
You can forgo these items or if you must, opt for non-toxic alternatives. Air fresheners can be swapped for household plants with natural scents and perfumes can be swapped for organic essential oils.
5. Limit water consumption
Water conservation is a huge issue, particular in drought affected areas such as in parts of Australia, the USA and Africa. Be mindful of water usage at all times. Use a timer when having a shower. Select half-flush instead of full-flush. Don’t leave tap running unnecessarily. Pay careful attention of how much water you use on your gardens, and avoid installing ineffective sprinkler systems in favor of doing so by hand. Fix leaky taps, damaged garden hoses and install a low-flow shower head.
6. Avoid synthetic materials
Synthetic materials require a lot of processing to manufacture not to mention the waste created and how to dispose of it. So when purchasing clothes, mattresses, bed sheets or pillows, opt for natural fabrics that will biodegrade and better still, natural organic fabrics such as organic cotton and organic hemp.
Continually purchasing stuff made from synthetic fabrics means you are supporting an eco-unfriendly way of life.
7. Use cold water
It takes a lot of electricity to heat up water, so make sure to avoid using too much warm water. Instances where you don’t need to use hot water and cold water will suffice: washing your clothes, washing non-greasy dishes and showers on a scorching hot day.
8. Get your green thumb going
There are a lot of solutions which can be implemented in your garden and backyard to make better use of land, reduce energy consumption and make use of waste. Composting or worm farming is a great way to make use of food scraps and organic matter, as it makes excellent fertiliser for plants.
Instead of creating lawns and gardens that are only there for ornamental purposes, why not plant an edible organic garden? Not only will an edible garden fill the aesthetic purpose but it will also provide you with fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables, which is the optimum use of available space, don’t you think?
It really is easy to go green. Even if you can’t do all of these things at once, each green choice you make is an improvement and will go a long way to protecting our planet
Source: ecowarriorprincess
