With the conversations surrounding environmental protection and the conservation of natural resources expanding, it’s no surprise that adopting a green lifestyle in the home is growing in popularity. Going green with your home is a great way to impact the environment as well as your lifestyle and your wallet. In preparation for your next home upgrade, read up on the many benefits of choosing eco-friendly features for your abode.
Switch to Green Appliances to Save
With newer advancements in environmentally friendly gadgets, the majority of your major household appliances come in high-efficiency models that will help you conserve resources with ease. Consider upgrading to greener versions of washing machines and dishwashers with the EnergyStar label to ensure you’re getting the most efficient model. Doing so will help you save up to 50 percent less energy and 55 percent less water than standard washers. Eco-friendly dishwashers are 12 percent more efficient! All of your savings on energy and water will additionally translate to major long-term savings on utilities!
Upgrade Your Plumbing to Conserve Water
The current household can experience a 30 percent water savings with eco-friendly upgrades. Bring in a qualified local plumber to help with upgrades such as installing low-flow toilets. This can cut household water use by 27 percent. Replacing faucets with motion sensor models to save up to 50 percent on overall water use. Making these changes can help save up to 5.4 billion gallons of water saved each day!
Go Eco and Have Cleaner Air
Choosing energy-efficient appliances or installing an air purifier will help to dramatically improve your indoor air quality (IAQ). Cleaner air will help to support respiratory health, minimize allergies, and eliminate overall pollution from your home. An air purifier will bring numerous health benefits into your lifestyle. It help to reduce the presence of greenhouse gases that emit from energy-guzzling appliances. Opting for greener versions that emit a smaller amount of gas combined with a purifier will help your home’s IAQ stay excellent. Go one step further and stop all use of toxic cleaners and air fresheners. Replacing them with natural house cleaners to eliminate chemicals from your air supply.
Use Sustainable Materials to Eliminate Toxins
Upgrade your kitchen’s plastic food storage containers, bowls, and cooking tools such as spatulas in order to remove toxins from your home. Plastic typically contains BPA, a toxin that can be transferred through both ingestion and absorption through the skin. Simply using containers, especially if you’re heating the containers up in a microwave! Utensils can lead the toxin to end up in your system. Switch to glass or bamboo containers to minimize plastic use in your home.
These materials are not only better for the environment as they help to reduce plastic waste in landfills. But also are durable and can be used for a longer period of time. Bamboo is a great environmentally-friendly material for utensils, mixing bowls or spoons. It takes less time to grow than trees- reforesting can take decades! Using bamboo can help the environment. It is a great, environmentally-friendly material for utensils, mixing bowls or spoons, as it takes less time to grow than trees- reforesting can take decades!
Bring Light into Your Space
Although there are great lightbulb alternatives that will help you reduce energy use, relying primarily on natural sunlight is always the best bet when benefiting the environment. Consider bringing more light into your rooms by installing eco-friendly windows and frames. Consider going with triple-pane windows to help seal in heat during the winter and thus not let the energy from your heater go to waste. Opt for wooden or composite frames. They’re the easiest to recycle and therefore the most sustainable for the environment.
The next time you’re feeling an itch to revive your home, consider going green with your upgrade in order to maximize your quality of living and impact on Mother Earth!
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