25 Simple Ways To Go Green at Home
In this day and age, going green is an essential part of preserving the wonderful land we live in. It may seem difficult and overwhelming at first to make the “going green” changes to your lifestyle, however, converting your household to an environmentally friendly home is quite easy with little or no expense at all and can actually save you money.
We have put together a list of 25 easy ways to start going green in your home. You can start gradually by adding a few changes in the beginning and adding more as you go along. As time goes on your gradual minor changes will make a big difference in reducing the carbon footprint you are creating in the world.
Go Green at home with these go green tips :
Recycle
Let’s start with what most people view as the most difficult – Recycling! For many, gathering kitchen recycling items, clothing, and household items and putting out for garbage pickup seems to be the easiest. However, recycling cans, bottles, cardboard, and newspapers are not difficult at all. It is really just a matter of having 2 bins, one for garbage and one for recycling. Try it! You just may find that you actually feel really great knowing that you are helping and contributing to the health and safety of your environment.
Donate
Take your clothing & household items to the nearest Goodwill store or donation center to help the needy. If there is not one in your area, check online, there are many companies that will do a drive by and pick up at your home. The Lupus American Household Goods Donation Program is just one of many. Make sure you donate and recycle responsibly. Electronics contain mercury, which is a growing environmental concern. Contact your town for more information on electronic and hazardous waste recycling.
Save Energy and Save Money at the same time.
Adjust your thermostats
Heating and air conditioning account for nearly half the energy used in our homes. Set your home thermostat a few degrees lower in the winter and a few degrees higher in the summer. Adjusting it by one degree for eight hours can save you 1 percent in cost per month. One degree over a 24-hour period can save 3 percent monthly. Try to keep your temperature at 62 degrees during the night.
Wash clothes in cold water
Would you be surprised to know that 85 percent of the energy your washing machine uses is to heat the water?
Use a drying rack or hang dry your clothes
Do so until they are almost dry. Then pop them in the dryer to make them softer and get the wrinkles out if needed. An extra tip, stop using dryer sheets. They are loaded with toxins. Try these alternatives.
Use the dishwasher
Doing a full load of dishes in the dishwasher saves more energy and costs less than washing the same amount of dishes by hand.
Adjust your refrigerator temperature
Keep your refrigerator temperature between 37 and 40 degrees and your freezer between 0 and 5 degrees. Just 10 degrees colder can boost energy consumption by 25 percent. Make sure your refrigerator seal is tight and the air is not leaking out. If air is leaking your refrigerator will have to work harder resulting in a bigger home heating or electrical expense.
Turn your water heaters temperature down
This will assure your shower and bath water are hot and will not reach a temperature above and beyond. This will not only cut water heating costs it will also slow down mineral build up and corrosion and will increase the longevity of your tank. And remember to limit your shower time to a maximum of 10 minutes saving you as much as 15,000 gallons of water. Just imagine what the monetary savings are when you cut down 15,000 gallons of water.
Clean or Change Furnace Filters
During the winter months clean or change your furnace filters in forced air systems monthly. Clogged and dirty furnace filters restrict airflow and increase energy use. If not done your heating cost can increase by as much as 10 percent. Also, schedule an annual checkup before the heat comes on to make sure the furnace is properly calibrated.
Stop the leaky drip from your faucets
Not only will you save thousands of gallons of water per year, if the leak is overlooked it could result in damage to your counters and or floor causing additional repair costs.
Stop a leaky toilet
Pour food coloring into your toilet bowl and wait a couple of hours. Check to see if any color is in the back bowl. If the color has seeped into the bowl, your tanks flapper is leaking. Your local hardware store will have a replacement flapper. It may come as a surprise but a toilet bowl leak can waste one gallon of water per minute. Wow! That’s a lot of gallons per month.
Unplug all appliances
Household appliances including garage power tools need to be unplugged or use a “smart” power strip that senses when appliances are off and cuts energy when not in use. Try to use cordless or battery operated tools. Buy rechargeable batteries. Remember to dispose and recycle your batteries properly.
Replace your incandescent bulbs when they burn out
Install compact fluorescent light bulbs. A normal light bulb is considered an incandescent light bulb where the light is produced by heat. Phosphor produces light for a fluorescent bulb, therefore, it utilizes less heat and saves energy. Fluorescent bulbs are 4-6 times more efficient than incandescent bulbs. A 15-watt fluorescent bulb will produce the same amount of light as a 60-watt incandescent bulb. If you still must use incandescent bulbs it is important to note that one100-watt incandescent bulb emits more light than two 60-watt bulbs combined and requires 17 percent less power.
Open or close your window blinds depending on the season
On colder days open blinds and drapes to let in the natural heat. Remember to close once the sun sets. Your heating cost can be reduced by ten percent. During the warmer days close the blinds and drapes. By blocking out the warm natural sunlight you can cut your air-conditioning costs by as much as 30 percent.
Use filtered tap water vs bottled water
Stop buying bottled water and start using a water filter to purify your tap water. You will not only save money, you will no longer have to worry about recycling and you will save a large amount of container waste. Use a reusable water bottle, preferably aluminum rather than plastic, when you are traveling.
Buy large quantities of items
This will save you money and lessen any additional packaging to be recycled.
Purchase clothes that do not have to be dry-cleaned
Dry cleaning costs can be high costing you a lot of money. You will also be helping to eliminate the use of toxic chemicals that most dry cleaners use.
Pay more today for high-quality long lasting products
In the long run purchasing more expensive, high-quality items will save you money and will be less waste to the environment as well.
Make your own non-toxic cleaning products
Today with the Internet and being able to research, there are so many great ways to make your own non- toxic cleaning products. The most common simple ingredients are baking soda, soap, lemon, and vinegar. These products will save you money, time, consumer packaging, and most important will eliminate the toxins left in the soil, water, and air by store bought cleaning products.
Bike, walk, carpool to work or work from home. Schedule your errands
This will improve your overall health and reduce your risk for obesity. You will be amazed to see how much money you will save from not having to purchase gas or paying to park. The environment will also benefit greatly with fewer auto emissions into the air, which reduces air quality
Consider buying second hand or gently used products
There are so many different sites and a wide variety of products available on the Internet today. You will be shocked to see what great items you may find that you need at a great price. You will be saving money as well as cutting down additional environmental packaging and product waste when purchasing new items.
Cut down paper usage and recycle
Cancel your newspaper subscription. Read the news online. Donate and recycle newspapers, magazines and shopping bags. Pay bills and file your taxes electronically. Use fabric napkins instead of paper. Reach for the hand towel instead of that easily accessible paper towel.
Shop for eco-friendly personal beauty and hygiene care
Support Green Businesses
Green businesses ensure that they use the safest ingredients to keep their customers and their families healthy. Bring their products back into your home.
Decorate your home with a new houseplant or two
Last but not least, sit back relax, take in a deep breath of fresh air and enjoy the beautiful scenery.
Are you ready to start going green?
If you have read this entire blog article you have taken the first step to making your life, your families, friends and all of our lives better as well as the lives of the many generations to come.
Not all of these ideas to go green and save green may be for you. Any effort, large or small, on your part, will help to contribute to creating and maintaining an environmentally sustainable society that meets our basic human needs and will protect this beautiful land and earth we live on.
Go Green, Live Healthier, Live Happier, Save Money, Save Energy and Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
We hope you have enjoyed and gained valuable knowledge and helpful go green tips reading our article “25 Simple Ways To Go Green At Home”.
At All American Environmental, we are a full service environmental contracting and consulting company. We are fully licensed and insured and provide services for both residential and commercial clients. Our success has resulted from our experience and on going reliable and courteous customer service. Please contact us if you have any environmental questions or concerns. We look forward to hearing from you and helping you.
Contact All American Environmental at 973-663-1680 or contact us by email at allamericanenviro@gmail.com
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Go Green Today!
