How to Make Your Home Eco-Friendly

There are plenty of ways to lead an eco-friendly life. Going green isn’t just a passing trend; it’s here to stay. Fortunately, you can have an eco-friendly house without compromising the comfort of your home. Since most people spend a big part of their time at home, read on to learn how to make yours eco-friendly.

Monitor Water Consumption

Water usage is in the bathroom, kitchen, and the lawn if you have one. There’s plenty of opportunities in each of these areas to save energy and money.

Bathroom

A good place to start is upgrading old toilets, taps, and showerheads that are not eco-friendly. These fixtures have eco-friendly alternatives that you can check out. An old toilet can use 7 gallons of water with every flush, compared to a low-flow toilet which uses a fraction of that. A low-flow showerhead uses up 2.5 gallons of water, while older models can use up to 5 to 8 gallons. Another ideal eco-friendly approach is to turn the bathroom into a plastic free place in your home.

Think about how much water goes down the drain literally and metaphorically, when our hands move to and fro just to open and shut the faucet. Tackle this problem by using a motion-sensor faucet that only opens when your hands are under the faucet.  

Kitchen

There’s plenty of ways to make your kitchen eco-friendly. It all starts with the design and the materials used, to the kitchen utensils, and the types of appliances used. Different materials used for cabinets, for instance, can be agricultural byproducts, like bamboo which is a very popular choice.

You’ll find that a lot of utensils in your kitchen can be replaced with other more sustainable and reusable utensils, like ditching plastic containers and using glass containers instead.

As for your old appliances, they might be working but are consuming much more energy than new appliances. The new technology in fridges, microwaves, stoves, ovens, and smaller utilities may cost you more upfront, but they will save you money in the long-run. 

Lawn

Most people wouldn’t consider using alternatives for their lawn since green grass is typically what most homeowners want. But, conventional lawns require a lot of mowing and irrigation to keep them healthy and beautiful and you know that mowers can be real gas guzzlers. 

Get creative by replacing grass with organic mulches like cedar or pine bark chips that give a rustic ground cover. Another idea to consider is to place colorful potted plants on gravel, instead of on grass as they display beauty while eliminating the need to use excess water for a lawn to grow.

Ideally, you will want to try to achieve zero waste, not just in water but in everything concerning the house and your lifestyle. You will find that you can live a more natural lifestyle when you click here and see how easy it is to conserve resources with interesting items that produce zero waste, from personal toiletries to household cleaning products.

When you adjust your lifestyle and buy the right products, you will be well on your way to achieve zero waste. 

Bedroom

When you want a greener room, start with the focal point; the bed. For a start, an eco-friendly mattress can be made out of natural latex. Memory foam mattresses are also made of materials that are safe for the environment while not compromising your comfort. Don’t forget to top your efforts by using organic sheets and bedding.

Eco-friendly isn’t just about the materials used, but also how something is manufactured. When it comes to your furniture, always consider buying local products that are manufactured under the right guidelines. Look for pieces that use sustainable wood. Alternatively, you can find great steals on used furniture that will look fabulous with some minor touch-ups. 

Other Aspects to Consider

Lighting

Let’s start with the lighting. Forget about regular watt bulbs and replace them with LED bulbs. Layer the lighting in the room so you have the choice when you want the room brightly lit or when you want a subdued, relaxing atmosphere with dimmer lights. 

Paint

When it comes to your wall colors, eco-friendly paints are ones that are practically chemical-free and don’t include airborne chemicals. Most paints use limited Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) but you can find ones that have zero VOCs. 

Flooring

Cork, bamboo, reclaimed wood, recycled porcelain, and ceramic tiles, and even recycled glass are all making their way into living room floors. Any of these materials are excellent. A quick online search about each of them will give you more information, and help you decide which material is most suitable for each room.

Like all positive changes, we have to initiate them ourselves. Being eco-friendly depends on the actions you take and the products you use.

Now that you know how easy it is, pick up some new habits and incorporate them into your daily life. When everyone makes an effort to do their part, a positive impact will happen on a global scale. You’ll be happy and comfortable in your eco-friendly home.