Never miss a chance to live a little greener (read “Go Green 101”). Practice simple good green habits at home, and lead a sustainable lifestyle. Let us celebrate the gift of life and pass these values to the next generations.
- Let Sunlight In
There is something magical about the Sun’s yellow light and warmth that artificial light cannot reproduce. The airy atmosphere in your home is attractive and comforting. Rely more on natural sunlight instead of electricity; thanks to Daylight Saving Time (DST), we can enjoy an extra hour of light in the late evening. Open your curtains, and let the sunlight in as long as you can. You are also advised to minimize using dryers; let natural air dry your dishes and clothes.
- Turn Off When Not in Use
The easiest way to reduce your consumption, carbon footprint, and other harmful greenhouse gases is by turning anything off when not in use. Turn off unused lights when you leave a room; unplug your appliances and chargers that are typically left on standby when not in use. You will reduce your electricity bills as well as extend the life of your bulbs and appliances.
- Choose Energy-Efficient Appliances
During a power outage, you may feel the room colder. The reason is that traditional light bulbs turn heat energy into light energy, and a lot of it gets wasted along the way. You need to make your light bulbs more energy-efficient, and switch to high-quality light bulbs. You will reduce heat production and turn more of that heat into the same amount of light for less money. Moreover, when replacing home appliances, it is highly recommended to choose smart and energy-efficient appliances; they tend to use much less resources.
- Keep Closed
Stop sneak-peeking into your oven, and gazing into your fridge every now and then. The oven temperature can simply drop when you open the door just for 30 seconds. Similarly, leaving the fridge door open for too long takes 45 minutes for the fridge to cool down to its original temperature. A simple sneak-peek cost you electricity and money! Do not be tempted to keep unnecessarily checking-in on your cooking, and decide what you need from the fridge before opening it.
- Keep Cool
Water heaters default settings are often higher than we need, so you can save around 8% of your heating energy by lowering hot water temperature. When using your washing machine and dishwasher, use cold water instead of hot water. Set the temperature of your heater during winter as low as you can feel comfortable, and wear warm clothes indoors; this can cut up to 10% of your annual heating bills. On the contrary, on hot days you can reduce the heat by wearing light clothes and keep cool with a fan, which saves more electricity than an air conditioner.
- Save Water
Check and fix any water leaks; even a small drip can waste more than 180 liters of water a day. Take shorter showers also by limiting your showers to the time it takes to soap up and wash down. Moreover, turn off the tap when you wash vegetables and rinse them in a bowl instead; when you brush your teeth, fill a glass for rinsing your mouth; when you shave, rinse your razor in a sink full of a few inches of warm water. By managing water properly, you will reduce the amounts of your water bills, and preserve life.
- Explore Eco-Friendly Alternatives
Many household cleaners do their jobs effectively, but cover the surfaces in unwanted toxins. They have adverse health effects to our bodies as they contain harsh chemicals. As much as we want our homes to look and smell clean, we can use natural and homemade detergents without having a negative impact on our health or the environment. If you cannot afford buying eco-friendly cleaners, you can use some great home ingredients such as baking soda, vinegar, and lemons; they are natural way to kill germs, bacteria, and mold.
- Grow Your Food
Be literally green and plant a simple garden in your balcony. Teach your kids where food comes from, and to appreciate the process behind the food on their plates. You can start by a simple herb garden that add flavor to your meals or some vegetables; they only need a bit of soil, lots of sunlight, and watering. You will not only brighten up your home with such an enjoyable hobby, you will improve the quality of the air in your home by a simple addition to your home.
- Avoid Food Waste
The food you waste could be someone’s most precious wish—Read more on “Food Waste” here. One of the most effective ways to reduce food wastes is meal planning; choose meals you want for the week and check your cupboard before buying your groceries. You also need to store your food correctly, especially vegetables and fruits. Eating your fresh vegetables before they go off could be a struggle, so cook in bulk and freeze the excess to avoid leftovers. Moreover, you can recycle your food wastes into animal feed or composting—the natural process of recycling organic matter—by making a compost bin for your food scraps.
- Get Rid of Stuff Ethically
Recycling is not always the answer to our waste issue; less consumption and proper disposal are the key! You can ethically get rid of unneeded products around the house by finding new uses before throwing them away; sell, repurpose, or donate your old clothes, bottles, jars, furniture, etc. For instance, you can repurpose your old towels and clothes by cutting them into small pieces to clean your kitchen instead of paper towels and tissue, which increase your waste production massively. Get back in touch with the artist you have inside, and discover the virtues of your garbage.
Small things do make a big difference, and practicing good green habits means celebrating life. Such simple practices can by all means save our budget, homes, and planet. If you cannot do them all, choose at least three and make them your habit this year. Let us collaborate to get one step closer to a greener planet and secure life for future generations.
References
aeroshadeco.com
cjhcleaningservices.co.uk
climate.ec.europa.eu
deq.utah.gov
greenecofriend.co.uk
iea.org
lumennow.org
openaccessgovernment.org
pinterest.com
seai.ie
theartofsimple.net (1)
theartofsimple.net (2)
theecohub.com
volusia.org
wikihow.life
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