If you’re keen on lowering your carbon footprint, one of the best ways to make a difference is to make your home more eco-friendly. With climate change becoming a serious threat to our planet, even the smallest changes could have a huge impact on preserving our environment for future generations. The good news is that there is greater awareness on how our planet is being altered by human behavior and how we can change our actions for the greater good. You don’t need to make huge sacrifices for a greener home and lifestyle – this blog will provide you with some helpful tips on what you can do for an eco-friendlier home.
- Wash your clothes in cold water
Did you know that over 90% of the energy used to power the washing machine is used solely for heat purposes? As a result, it would be beneficial to think about how you wash your clothes. Do you need to do as many laundry days per week or are there other methods of keeping your clothes clean? You could consider washing your clothes on a cold setting – there is no need to wash your clothes on the hot setting unless you’re dealing with smells or stubborn stains. If you notice that cold water isn’t quite cutting it, you could run it on the warm setting instead, or consider switching detergent. Washing machines are designed for large amounts of clothes, one or two items won’t be cleaned well in the machine by themselves. Consider washing those single items of clothing by hand to further reduce your carbon footprint.
Use sustainable materials where possible
While it is difficult to purchase all the products in and around the home created from sustainable materials, you could make a few smart choices. Fencing is just one example to consider. Fencing made from eComposite products is made with longevity in mind, this stops you needing to replace your fencing as often – reducing the amount of materials and water used to manufacture a new product.
Install a smart meter
During the winter months, you may leave the heating on far longer than you need, which is not only bad for the planet, but can also make your energy bills skyrocket. The best way to prevent this is to have a smart meter installed. A smart meter ultimately controls your heating so that it is turned on at certain times of the day (such as when you first wake up in the morning or when you get home from work) and switches off automatically when you no longer need it.
Use natural cleaning products
There are a wide number of cleaning products which contain harsh chemicals and are bad for the environment. While you may believe that you can’t be doing much harm as they’re solely used within your home, these chemicals flow into and pollute the water stream when washed away down the sink. As a result, the water will require greater sanitisation until it is drinkable again which impacts the environment. Instead consider natural alternatives such as bicarbonate of soda and citrus which do the exact same job – just without the harsh compounds.
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