Earth-friendly Upgrades to Incorporate When Refurbishing Your Home
Building an environmentally friendly householding can seem straightforward, but it is more difficult than it appears at first glance. That’s because there are many things that need to be fundamentally changed to achieve sustainability goals, and there are many habits that must be changed. A green home should have a low carbon footprint as a result of adequate waste disposal, the use of clean energy and reusing and recycling.
If you’ve been thinking about making your household more sustainable, here are some of the upgrades you should consider during the next refurbishment.
Image source: https://unsplash.com/photos/GN9JhLPw3ow
Energy efficient
The best way to improve your home’s carbon footprint is to ensure energy efficiency. Making the switch to newer electronics, if necessary, is a must, so if some of your appliances are energy guzzlers, swap them for more recent models that are more efficient. If feasible, you can also try to switch to renewables, at least partially. Solar energy is one of the most common choices since it is readily available everywhere. While panels are typically installed on rooftops, you can choose to locate them anywhere else if there’s another spot where they can catch more sunlight.
Insulating your home will be particularly beneficial, as it prevents warmth from leaking outside. Many materials can be used for this purpose, including wool, cotton, fiberglass and cork. Using insulation means that you don’t have to crank up the heat during the winter and the air conditioner in the summer, which isn’t only good for the environment but also helps you minimize costs.
Gardening
Having a lawn has, for a while, been associated with unsustainable practices by climate activists. In many parts of the world, they’re not in tune with the area’s natural ecosystem. Biodiversity also suffers, as it’s unlikely that many insect species will be drawn to a place that’s just grass. And while some may wonder why there’s any need to attract bugs in the first place, it’s important to remember their environmental importance. Pollinators such as bees are crucial for the growth and development of plants and, as a result, for food security.
The water used to power lawn mowers, as well as the considerable quantities of water that go into keeping the grass bright green, are additional reasons why having a lawn isn’t environmentally sound. Given the increasing duration and severity of heat waves, many consider having a yard unsustainable. The solution is to rethink gardening to make your place more sustainable. Planting trees, flowers, fruits, and veggies will help you improve the environment and guarantee that you can cook meals with produce you grew yourself.
Organic gardening is a must when you’re looking to create a sustainable place. It’ll help the soil be rich with nutrients, enabling the plants to develop and thrive. Pests and diseases can also be treated with environmentally conscious solutions. If you need planting pots, you can check elho to get a growing table that’ll allow you to continue gardening during the cold months. Start easily with just a few different plants, then add more variety to your garden as you become more confident in your skills.
Look for plants that are native to the area where you live and incorporate them into your garden. They will take less work as they’re already well-adapted to the environment, so you don’t have to be concerned about the amount of rainfall and moisture they need, the soil type or climate. Moreover, these plants are the ones that contribute to protecting biodiversity by providing shelter and nutrition for birds, insects and small animals.
Indoor changes
Adding plants indoors can be good for your health, as they purify the air you breathe and provide you with a relaxing and rewarding hobby. However, to ensure that your new hobby is sustainable, make sure that you learn how to look after your plants so you don’t have to replace them constantly. Choose balcony planters made from sustainable, recycled materials to reduce the environmental load of purchasing something new and guarantee you maintain eco-friendly standards even for minute details.
The flooring plans you choose are just as important as insulation and the energy you use. Wood, a classic material, is also the most sustainable option, especially if you choose a recycled or salvaged option. Since premium quality material is generally highly durable, it can be repurposed several times instead of discarded in a landfill.
When you choose recycled materials, you also have a much smaller chance of bringing VOCs inside your home. That helps you maintain air quality and excludes the possibility of getting anything harmful indoors. If wood doesn’t suit your interior design, some of the other sustainable options you can look at include cork and bamboo. Recycled carpets are also more eco-friendly than buying something new. Generally, they are made from previously used rugs, textile waste, fishing nets and other plastics.
Reduce and reuse
While recycling is one of the core principles of sustainability, it’s impossible to be environmentally friendly without reducing the amount of resources you consume. Constantly buying new products, especially when you don’t need them, and you’re almost certain you won’t use them, contributes to resource depletion, which is in complete antithesis to an earth-friendly lifestyle.
Electronics are one of the product groups that are most commonly swapped for newer ones. Computers, smartphones and televisions are most commonly replaced. All these products contain toxins such as lead or mercury that harm the environment and human health. To reduce e-waste, make sure that you keep your products for at least seven years. If they’re in good working condition and can still be used safely, you should keep them for even longer. However, if you want a newer model, you should ensure that the old items are donated or recycled.
Clothing is another issue. Many individuals buy garments they never use before throwing them away. These pieces end up in landfills, where they contribute to greenhouse emissions. Add to that the amount of resources that go into producing just one clothing item, including water, dyes, sewing and knitting, and you’ll realize how wasteful that is.
Don’t purchase items on a whim, and carefully consider how many wears you’ll get out of a piece. Generally speaking, classic clothes will be worn longer than those adhering to a micro trend. You can also try secondhand or vintage shopping to get new clothing without the added carbon footprint.
Living an eco-friendly lifestyle includes making changes all around your life. But it’s well worth the effort.