Many people are becoming conscious of the consequences their actions have on the environment, and want to become more eco-friendly but have no clue what they can do. Some are trying to, for example, start walking more or taking public transportation instead of using the car, to reduce carbon footprint.
However, what most people fail to understand is that being eco-friendly starts at home, as it is also the place where most waste happens. By doing simple things, they can make their home so much better for the environment. Some of the things that they can do to achieve that include…
Getting a Tankless Water Heater
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You probably are aware that somewhere in your basement, there is a water heater, but that’s where your knowledge ends – until it works and gives you hot water whenever you need, it’s not a subject of your concern. What you didn’t know though, is that it can consume vast amounts of energy, as it cycles on and off all the time to keep the water hot.
And that’s where the tankless water heaters come into play. If you have the option to do so, change your old water heater to a tankless one. They not only save you even ⅓ of the fuel costs in the long run but also, as you can read on TanklessReviews, “they have the potential to provide unlimited, continuous hot water. They’re not limited by their tank size, which means you won’t have any limits on the amount of hot water you can access”.
The thing is that since the tankless water heaters have become popular, many companies started to produce their own, but without taking time to engineer or build them correctly. That’s why before you decide on a water heater, you should do a profound research. It might take some time, but it will be worth it in the end.
Using Energy Efficient Appliances
Old appliances might have sentimental value, but they also use a lot of energy, so it’s time to think about changing them into more eco-friendly ones. They should be available in almost every home and kitchen store and usually use the Energy Star label. When you decide to change the appliances in your house, remember to either recycle the old ones or give them to those less fortunate.
When changing appliances, don’t forget to change the light bulbs to eco-friendly ones. Not only do they last longer, but they also don’t use as much energy as normal ones. It’s a win-win, don’t you think?
Also, remember to put your appliances on standby mode and turn them off if you don’t use them. Many people leave their television on during the night, but even with a standby mode, it’s still wasting energy. Also, if you, for instance, charge your phone, don’t forget to unplug it, as even if your phone is not charging, the charger consumes energy.
You can visit sites such as Ecoy and find out all the necessary eco-friendly appliances for everyday use.
Watching Their Water Usage
Water is among the things that people take for granted and are guilty of wasting. Making small changes in how you are using your water will make not only a difference for the environment but also your bills.
The first thing that you should do to save water is to make sure that there are no leaks in your house, that might be wasting water. You can tighten the taps that are dripping yourself, or if you are unable to fix the leak by yourself, you can call a plumber, there’s a company called PlumbingForce, I always book them whenever I have a plumbing issue at home because they come in the same day I book, they also take their time to explain the real problem and give me different options to fix it that fits my budget.”
Some minor things that you can do include, for example, not running the water if you are brushing your teeth or shaving. Just turn it off and rerun it when you need it. Also, wait until you have enough clothes to load the washing machine fully – washing a full machine uses less water energy and water than two half-loads.
Finding Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products
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Since being eco-friendly is becoming more common, many companies producing cleaning products have started to release their environmental-friendly versions. While washing away many of the cleaning products available on the market, you are unconsciously adding harmful chemicals to the water supply that need to be filtered out.
So next time you are on a shopping spree in a supermarket, look out for the eco-friendly cleaning products. And if you feel like DIY-ing, you can always make natural products by yourself. In most cases, bicarbonate of soda, vinegar or acids from lemons or oranges should be enough – they help in removing stains and often work better than other products, which means that you have a clean house without using harmful products like beaver maids. You also save money as natural products are usually much cheaper than cleaning products. It’s a win-win.
Insulating
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Insulation is an excellent way of reducing waste from cooling and heating your house. While having a heating and cooling system itself can reduce bills and waste, your home still needs to be insulated adequately. When it comes to newer houses, the process is not only much easier, but most of them already have it done. Older homes might require loft, wall and floor insulation.
Insulation grants are available now under the government ECO home scheme. So, grab it today if you qualify.
If you can’t afford a professional, there are things that you can do yourself. Use the internet to help you or visit the closest DIY store. A good option would be installing double-glazed windows – they can keep your house warm during the winter and cool during the summer. And if you have cracks in your floorboards, adding a rug should be enough.
Conclusion
Becoming eco-friendly doesn’t require significant changes from the beginning – you can start with small modifications to your lifestyle – such as stop running water, develop a habit of unplugging electronic devices after you use them or simply recycle. After you get into it, you can think about changing your appliances or water heater.
However, don’t think that just because you are one person, it won’t make a difference for the environment – in people’s nature is to follow, so if you start doing it, there is a huge chance that other people will follow your footsteps.
