We’ve all heard the easy tips for helping the environment—shorten your showers, recycle, and turn the lights off when you leave the room. But if you want to make a bigger impact in conserving your resources, there are some major ways to go green in your home. Try these seven fixes to make your home more environmentally friendl
1. Replace Your Bulbs
This easy fix makes a bigger impact than you might think. Replace regular, incandescent bulbs in your home with energy-saving compact fluorescent light bulbs. You’ll be helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions while saving on your monthly electric bill, too.
2. Revamp the Floors
Whether you’re already planning to renovate or just want to make a big change in the name of going green, your floors are a great place to start. Adding carpet or rugs to your home can help reduce energy costs by 4-6 percent and help reduce emissions from your heating system. If you love the look of hardwood floors, opt for certified sustainable lumber or bamboo, which grows more quickly than traditional timber trees.
3. Go Solar
In a sunny state like Colorado, you can greatly reduce or even eliminate your energy bill with solar power. Plus, you won’t be contributing to greenhouse gas emissions or fossil fuel consumption. You can go traditional with solar panels on your roof, add solar shades to your windows or even set up solar cells in your yard. That all adds up to a win-win for you and for the environment.
4. Purchase Eco-Friendly Appliances
When shopping for new appliances, look for “Energy Star-Qualified” brands that use less than traditional models. If you can, try to reduce electricity usage by air-drying washed clothes and using the microwave rather than the oven when possible.
5. Replace Your Windows
Installing energy-efficient windows in your home will provide better insulation that keeps the heat out in the summer and in during the winter. You’ll be able to run your heat and air conditioning less often, which means monthly savings for you and a greener footprint for your home. Make sure to keep them clean, too—letting natural light in during the winter keeps your home feeling toasty.
6. Add Living Plants
It might seem silly, but incorporating plants around your home has a bigger effect than you think. Living plants will help improve the air quality by removing CO2 and producing new oxygen, while also brightening up your space. You can also consider adding living plants to the outside of your home in the form of ivy and other vegetation that will thrive on your walls. This adds an extra layer of insulation to make your home even more energy efficient.
7. Invest in Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products
When it comes to keeping your home clean, you’ll want to look for natural or organic cleaning products with lower levels of chemical additives. You may even want to consider DIY home cleaning solutions, like vinegar and baking soda, that leave no chemical trace.
Think about incorporating these seven steps to make your home more eco-friendly. If you’re building a new home, also check out popular sustainable building materials to get your new house started off on the right foot. Want more information on the best green building materials? We came across this awesome info graphic created by Accurate Perforating Company: https://www.slideshare.net/accurateperf/green-building-materials-67997845