Protecting the planet isn’t the sole job of governments and corporations. Each of us must also examine how we live our lives, consciously choosing to live in greater harmony with the planet. Positive action begins at home, with simple measures to improve your eco-friendliness.
You don’t have to switch to solar or espouse a zero-waste lifestyle to make a difference. Small actions add up — and often make a larger long-term difference than extreme shifts that leave you feeling burned out and deprived. Furthermore, many sustainable upgrades save you money.
As you embark on your spring cleaning, take a few minutes to evaluate the overall sustainability of your home and where you can improve. What should you do? Here are five ways to make your home more eco-friendly.
1. Insulate
When giving your windows the old scrub-a-dub, look at the weather stripping around your interior doors. Can you see light seeping through the cracks? That’s also how energy escapes. Likewise, mindfully tune into your temperature — do you feel chilly by your living room bay? If so, it’s time for caulk. Insulating around your windows and doors costs next to nothing but can retain more than 30% of your home’s energy.
About 25% of your home’s energy escapes through the roof. Fortunately, it’s also one of the easiest places to add insulation. Take extra care around vents, sealing them tightly to prevent leaks.
Are you considering painting your exterior this spring? While it might sound unusual, painting your roof white can reduce cooling costs by up to 40% in warm climates like Arizona. Opt for the lightest shade possible when replacing your tiles — this look works well with the Mediterranean architecture popular in the region. People in cooler climates might opt for darker hues to soak up heat in the winter.
Uninsulated walls are a bit tougher, but innovation makes it easier. You can blow in extra injectable foam insulation by drilling a tiny hole, leaving the sledgehammer in the garage.
2. Take Advantage of Natural Light
With longer days on the way, it makes sense to take advantage of natural light. If you have a little bit of spending money, consider investing in solar tubes. Unlike skylights, they don’t cause issues with condensation, and you can often have them installed for less than $1,000 per fixture. They’re perfect in interior bathrooms — especially if you live with people who struggle to remember to turn off the light switch.
Now’s the time to remove or tie back heavy winter curtains to take advantage of passive solar. Consider using a one-way film for daytime privacy instead of a window covering. It protects your furnishings and floors from UV rays and offers an unfettered view of the outdoors while blocking prying eyes — although you’ll still need to close the shutters at night.
3. Make It Easier to Power Down
Did you know that energy vampires lurk in your home? They consist of devices you leave plugged in, which suck phantom electricity on standby when they remain plugged in, even if not in use.
Fortunately, it’s easy to drive a stake through their heart: use power strips. For example, plug your coffee pot, espresso machine and grinder into a single strip so that you can unplug them all with a single yank.
4. Employ Smart Technology
Did you remember to turn off the lights before you left home? If you have a smart home system installed, a simple check of your phone lets you dim them from anywhere with the touch of a button.
While many people like these devices for security, they can also save energy. If you have such a system, look for devices compatible with it. The more you can control from your phone, the greater peace of mind you have that your home isn’t wasting energy in your absence.
Furthermore, a smart thermostat can be a trusted partner in home energy conservation. Adjusting the dial by one degree saves 2% to 3% on total costs. Turn down the heat and AC in your absence, using your phone to adjust it to a comfortable temperature before you return.
5. Recycle and Compost
How you handle your household waste greatly affects your overall carbon footprint. While many areas have instituted single-stream recycling, you should ideally continue to sort and rinse glass jars and cans and take them to a center. Single-stream is more expensive and produces inferior materials — meaning what waste managers don’t sell ends up in the landfill.
Furthermore, consider composting your organic waste. When food scraps and used paper towels go into landfills, the anaerobic conditions prohibit them from breaking down into usable soil. Instead, they release methane, a greenhouse gas far heavier than carbon. Fortunately, even urban dwellers can now find countertop compost bins — they produce a nutrient-rich material that saves you oodles on plant food and fertilizer at the nursery.
6. Learn About (and Avoid) VOCs
What are volatile organic compounds? VOCs are chemicals lurking in many household cleaning products, paints, varnishes and furnishings.
You need a twofold approach to combating VOCs in your home to make it more eco-friendly. Your first step is mixing sustainable DIY cleaners free from the chemical additives in many over-the-counter products.
Your second is to read labels. When buying your kiddo a new desk or repainting your living room, look for low-VOC products to reduce the chemicals released into your indoor air — and, ultimately, the environment.
Make Your Home More Eco-Friendly
Everyone plays a role in reducing humanity’s overall carbon footprint. You can do your part by transforming your home into an eco-friendly oasis without breaking the bank. Many sustainable measures, like adding insulation, save you money on energy bills.
Use the above tips to make your home eco-friendly and sustainable. You’ll feel good about doing your part to preserve the planet’s future.