Making your house more eco-friendly is not only good for the environment, but it can also save you a lot of money. But what exactly should you change or update in your home to make it as green as possible?
It’s very important that you don’t throw items away that can still be used in order to purchase greener materials. Instead, replace things slowly whenever you need to or give them away to someone else who might need them.
Recycling is the obvious place to start, you can make this easier for yourself by accommodating recycling bins into your kitchen. Making it as simple as possible for yourself and the people you live with means a higher chance of success.
Using appliances at peak times
You may not realize it, but there are certain times when most people cook their dinner, do the laundry, or let the dishwasher run. When the demand is especially high, plants may work less efficiently and release high levels of CO2, says Cisco DeVries, CEO of OhmConnect. The additional cost that is needed to cover this demand is then passed on to customers, he explains.
Heating in winter
We all know that heating in winter burns a lot of energy. In order to save energy and stay warm at the same time consider improving the insulation in your home. Try to determine if there are any areas in which you can feel a draft, for example through doors or floors, and insulate them.
Don’t just let your heater run. Regulate your heating by using thermostats and heating controls. Also, make sure you put a jumper and fluffy socks on before turning up the temperature. Getting lots of comfy blankets for your sofa can also help to keep costs down.
Replacing your boiler
Older boilers can be inefficient and wasteful, which is why it makes sense to consider replacing them. Newer electric boilers can be much more energy-efficient and save you a lot of money at the same time. Being aware of the appliances in your house that aren’t as energy-efficient and replacing them with better quality and efficient appliances will be beneficial in the long run.
Avoid these purchases:
Try to avoid buying bottled water. Instead, you could invest in a good water filter for your sink or a sparkling water maker. This will also save you money in the long run
Baby food pouches, which can’t be recycled, can also be a problem and end up cluttering landfills. Making your own baby food and freezing it in reusable pouches is better for the environment and also means you’re more aware of what you’re giving your children.
As you are probably aware, buying or using new plastic bags when going grocery shopping can be harmful to the environment. Instead, invest in reusable options, there are so many different toes bags your can buy, but make sure you use the plastic bags that have already, first. There is no point in throwing these out and buying new bags when they’re perfectly fine to use.
While paper towels can be extremely useful in the kitchen, you can find them in many other climate-friendly materials, such as bamboo. You may have to try out different products until you find a brand that works for you. Or using reusable wipes that you can clean and dry after every use.
Solar panels
Solar panels are a great option, even in the UK. You can typically save enough energy to make back the costs after a few years. Since this can be an expensive investment, consider applying for a grant.
If you do invest in solar panels then make sure you’re aware of when you’re producing the most electricity and use your appliances during that time. For example, use our dishwasher at lunchtime rather than putting it on the last thing at night. Even though it may be slightly out of your normal routine, these little changes will make a huge difference and will become your norm as you go along.
Getting into the habit of making little changes to be more eco-conscious means that all these things together can make a considerable difference when making your more house eco-friendly.
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