Looking to save money while saving the Earth? Create an eco-friendly home by following these five main rules. By focusing on your home’s interior, exterior, and resource usage, your home will be a game-changing hot spot for family and friends.
Have you considered how much you waste when you’re at home? Between water, electricity, and food, the amount of natural resources you have at your disposal often gets, ironically, disposed of without a second thought. This is not only affecting the environment at large, but also your wallet as well. However, that doesn’t have to be the case.
Many homes have transitioned to becoming eco-friendly in this pursuit of saving money and the Earth. Even if you’re somebody who is not sure what is eco-friendly, it’s easy! It’s not as simple as just using less water or saving food, but here are the five main guidelines to having your own eco-friendly home.
Rely On Renewable Energy Sources
Renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and water generate power naturally for your appliances. While mostly used by farmers, solar paneled roofs have been growing in popularity and offer affordable electricity costs for consumers. One of the best eco-friendly brands for implementing sustainable energy is SunPower, which produces solar panels with minimal waste.
Consider Alternative Or Eco-friendly Products
Finding furniture that is sustainable can be a fun and rewarding experience. Eco-friendly furniture can include anything from table tops and chairs made from recycled plastic bottles to rugs composed of natural fibers like wool. Your clothing can also be made of eco-friendly materials. Hemp and organic cotton are two of the most popular materials used to make eco-friendly clothing, such as toboggans and mittens for use in the winter time.
https://unsplash.com/photos/
https://unsplash.com/photos/Shorten Your Water Usage
Did you know that stopping your shower sooner by one minute can save up to 150 gallons of water per month? That, along with stopping your water when you brush your teeth, can reduce your bill and save water for your community. Fixing leaky faucets and pipes may seem like a minor thing, but those also play a factor in water usage. If you’re an athlete who drinks a lot of water, make sure to drink the entire bottle and not simply pour it down the drain.
Consider Your Home’s Exterior
Although making improvements inside your home can do well for sustainability, there are ways to do the same for the exterior. Eco-friendly building materials such as wood and timber provide great insulation while reducing your overall carbon footprint. Adjustable shading as part of an archway can reduce your HVAC costs in the long run. When it’s hot outside, you can take it a step further with eco-friendly cleaning supplies that don’t rely on harmful chemicals that runoff into the ground.
Creating an eco-friendly home does not mean having to sacrifice designs or money. In fact, the sustainable choices you make today can save cash for a rainy day and give yourself a home to have pride in. With these five rules, your eco-friendly lifestyle can start on the right foot.
Click here for some some additional tips on making energy-efficient and eco-friendly upgrades in your home. Are you ready to make your home more eco-friendly? Let us know in the comments below how you plan on making a more sustainable home!
About The Author
Betty Olsen is a professional designer. She graduated from the Metropolitan State University of Denver, but her real vocation was to create comfortable, eco-friendly and cozy spaces. She is able to turn your home and garden, regardless of their size, into a work of art accessible to everyone.
