Making your home greener is possible; it is beneficial for our home, health, and the environment. With climate change and poor air quality, the whole world suffers from human-made damages to our environment. This has to stop now.
What can we do to help? There are many ways to make your home greener that you can incorporate into your everyday life. The good news is you don’t have to spend any penny. Every household should join in this eco-friendly movement, so future generations can witness the beauty of the Earth the way we do now.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Since our elementary school days, we were taught of the 3R’s to be more eco-friendly: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.
- Reduce the waste you create at home by avoiding single-use plastics. Avoid purchasing single-use plastic items like plastic cutleries, take-out containers, water bottles, and a plastic straw. Supermarkets have encouraged you to bring your grocery bag, so have your recyclable bag every time you shop.
- Reuse by opting to use reusable items. Instead of using plastic Ziplocs, opt to place your lunch on Tupperware.
- Recycling means, rather than throwing away trash, find ways to use that item again. Recycling at home starts with segregating your waste into three separate containers: the soiled food items, paper, and plastic. If you got plenty of bottled plastic containers, you could recycle them by using them as pen holders, plant containers, condiment containers, and many more.
Use Electricity Wisely
When you use electricity wisely at home, not only will you help the environment, you will also have lesser monthly electricity bills. How can you exactly do this? Plug-off electrical devices when not in use, like your phone charger, desktop, or microwave. Remember that even when these electrical appliances are not used but are still plugged, they still consume energy.
Opt to use LED bulbs instead of incandescent light bulbs or fluorescent bulbs. LED bulbs consume less energy, last longer, emit lesser amounts of carbon dioxide, and a more eco-friendly alternative. You will have significant savings in using LED bulbs compared to regular bulbs in the long run. To light your outdoor area like your patio or driveway, you can use solar-powered lights as well.
Grow Plants in Your House
If you’re aiming for a greener home, growing plants indoors and outdoors is a must. Plants are natural air filters, absorb carbon dioxide, and you can have a sustainable household too. Plant a tree in your backyard as a natural shade, so you won’t have to turn on the electric fan or air conditioner during the summer months. Grow edible plants in your backyard like basil, mints, or microgreens, so you don’t have to do grocery runs every time you need to cook.
However, you don’t need a grass lawn because it requires too much water for its upkeep. Grow indoor plants like Boston fern, bamboo palm, rubber plant, and many more. These plants can help clean the air inside your house. Also, plants can also help reduce stress by creating a relaxing environment at home.
Make Your Own Rain Watering System
If you’ve got plenty of plants at home and want to save on the water bills, make your own rain barrel watering system. How do you exactly do this? Collect rainwater from gutters, the roof, or a spout. You can opt to place a rainwater harvesting tank to collect and store the water.
If you need to water your plants, wash your car, need some water for the kid’s inflatable pool, or do some cleaning, use the rainwater you collected. Did you know that, on average, one person consumes about 80-100 gallons of water a day? That’s too much. Always conserve water in any way you can. Imagine how much water you can save and its beneficial effect on our environment.
Use Natural Cleaning Products
Do you know you can use homemade natural cleaning products? Yes, you can! Cleaning products like detergent, dishwashing liquid, or multi-purpose cleaners contain harmful chemicals that are bad for your health and the environment. If possible, use eco-friendly products to clean your home. What are these products?
Dissolve baking soda in water to clean dirt and grease in the kitchen countertops, stovetops, or refrigerator. With lemon and a bit of salt, you can deodorize your drain, clean cutting boards, freshen your fridge, and many more. Salt is also a powerful natural cleaner. You can use it to remove rust, remove blood stains from clothes, and clean the kitchen drain. Using chemical-based cleaning products can damage our planet by affecting our biodiversity. Go green and go natural as much as you can.
Make Your Home Greener Now
Now that you’re aware of the simple ways you can make your home greener, start to make these little changes now. A simple act done by one person in taking care of the environment creates a ripple effect. Start at your home and influence your family, friends, and loved ones. We only have one planet, and we humans are responsible for taking care of Mother Earth.