From the foods you eat to the vehicles you drive, it all contributes to the unfortunate deterioration of the earth and its natural resources. Though not much can be done about the damage that has already been caused, individuals can do more at home to try and conserve resources and reduce their carbon footprint to keep the problem from getting worse. Here are some green living tips that you can try at home to start making a change today:
Switch Energy Providers
Look for a service provider that offers renewable energy options for your home. These renewable energy plans are designed to emit fewer greenhouse gases and almost no pollution at all. You can do an online price comparison to determine which utility service provides the best rates.
Programmable Thermostats
A lot of the home’s energy is wasted through the heating and cooling systems. Keeping systems at a higher temperature than necessary causes them to burn more energy. To reduce the amount of energy being wasted, efficient temperature control is recommended. A programmable thermostat makes it easy for users to set an appropriate household temperature throughout the day. This keeps the home comfortable without wasting energy.
Replace the Windows
Another way in which energy is wasted in the home is through the windows and doors. If you presently have older windows in your home, hot and/or cold air could be escaping through them making your home less efficient. As the air escapes your home, it provokes you to crank up your heating or cooling system to make it comfortable which in turn burns more energy. Replacing cracked, broken, or older windows with more efficient ones can help to reduce energy waste. Find high-quality windows and services for window replacements in Portland, Chicago, Miami or whichever city you live in with a simple online search.
Energy Efficient Appliances
Your heating and cooling system aren’t the only things to drain the energy from your home, your household appliances are also culprits. The older and more outdated the appliances are, the harder they work and the more energy they consume. If it been awhile since you’ve replaced your fridge, stove, washer, dryer, furnace, or hot water heater, you may want to look for more efficient brands with an Energy Star rating to reduce your carbon footprint.
Recycle or Reuse
A very basic step towards green living is recycling or reusing things to reduce waste. Find out what the rules are for recycling in your neighborhood and begin sorting your trash to reduce the amount of garbage sent to landfills. As for reusing, start looking for ways to repurpose things you were going to discard. Pants and long-sleeve shirts that the kids have outgrown can be turned into shorts and t-shirts for the summer, old car tires can be used as containers in your garden, and broken glass can be used to add aesthetic appeal to your countertops, backsplash, or household accessories. There’s a lot of creative ways to turn trash into treasure which reduces waste, saves money, and helps the environment.
Lifestyle Changes
Making simple lifestyle changes can also be instrumental in helping to reduce your household carbon footprint. Rather than trying to incorporate this all at once (which can be overwhelming if you’re new to green living), start with a few changes at a time and add more as you’re successful. Some of the lifestyle changes you might consider include:
- Drying clothes outside
- Carpooling or using public transportation
- Use cloth instead of paper products
- Reduce one-time use plastic purchases (water bottles)
- Stop eating meat or reduce meat consumption
- Shop for locally grown produce at a farmer’s market
- Grow your food or shop organic
Making the decision to go green is a positive one. Green living has many benefits for you and your family. It helps to reduce your carbon footprint which helps improve the environment and it also helps to save you a lot of money on energy costs. Whatever your reason for going green the above-mentioned suggestions are easy to implement and have a high return on investment so feel free to give them a try in your home and see how much of a difference there is in just a few short weeks.