Go Green at Home with These 25 Simple Tips
In this day and age, going green is an essential part of preserving the wonderful land we live in. It may initially seem complicated and overwhelming to make the “going green” changes to your lifestyle; however, converting your household to an environmentally friendly home is relatively easy with little or no expense and can save you money.
We have put together a list of 25 easy ways to start going green in your home. You can begin gradually by adding a few changes in the beginning and adding more as you go along. As time passes, your gradual, minor changes will make a big difference in reducing the carbon footprint you are creating worldwide.
Start and Go Green Today!
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 them out for garbage pickup seems the easiest. However, recycling cans, bottles, cardboard, and newspapers are not difficult at all. It is just a matter of having two bins, one for garbage and one for recycling. Try it! You may find that you feel 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; many companies 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 24 hours 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 remove the wrinkles. 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. Ensure your refrigerator seal is tight and the air is not leaking out. If air leaks, your refrigerator must work harder, resulting in a more considerable home heating or electrical expense.
Turn your water heaters temperature down
This will ensure 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 increase your tank’s longevity. 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 winter, 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 calibrated correctly.
Stop the leaky drip from your faucets
Not only will you save thousands of gallons of water per year, but if the leak is overlooked, it could damage 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 seeped into the bowl, your tank’s flapper leaks. Your local hardware store will have a replacement flapper. It may be 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, must 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 of and recycle your batteries properly.
Replace your incandescent bulbs when they burn out
Switching to LED lights is one of the simplest yet most impactful changes you can make to reduce your environmental footprint and save money. LED bulbs use up to 90% less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs while lasting up to 25 times longer, which means significantly lower electricity bills and fewer bulbs ending up in landfills.
A single LED bulb can prevent hundreds of pounds of greenhouse gas emissions over its lifetime compared to an incandescent bulb. In addition to their energy efficiency, modern LEDs provide excellent light quality, come in various color temperatures to suit different moods and needs, and most are now dimmable. While
LED bulbs may cost more upfront but typically pay for themselves within a year through reduced energy costs. Their exceptional longevity means you won’t need to replace them nearly as often as traditional bulbs. Making the switch is a win-win for both the environment and your wallet.
Open or close your window blinds depending on the season
Open blinds and drapes on colder days 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 day,s 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 less waste to the environment.
Make your non-toxic cleaning products
Today, with the Internet and the ability to research, there are many great ways to make your non-toxic cleaning products. The most common simple ingredients are baking soda, soap, lemon, and vinegar. These products will save you money, time, and consumer packaging, and most importantly, 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 on 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 Go 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 and 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 create and maintain 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 ongoing 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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