Guest Post: Green Your Home

5 Easy Ways to Go Green at Home

Without Spending a Fortune

There are lots of reasons why people are deciding to make a concerted effort to live a greener lifestyle. Many feel guilty about contributing to global warming, others simply want to act as better role models for their children. Whatever your motivation is to make your home greener, you are doing a great thing. Global warming is an increasingly real problem and if we’re ever going to improve matters there needs to be a global commitment to minimizing the waste and bi-products we produce. 

Here are 5 ways to cut down your carbon footprint, whilst saving money and creating a greener, more sustainable home for yourself and your family. Remember, it’s the accumulation of all the small changes that you make, which make the difference.

1. Cut Down. Conserve. Waste Less.

The insanity of it all, is that we are ruining the planet because too many of us are consuming and wasting too much energy and too much water – often  because we forget to turn off the heating, the lights, the TV or the radio in the shed. If everybody on earth paid more attention to turning off appliances, or fixing those leaking taps, the situation would be a whole lot better. To make your home more green, start paying more attention to how you can consume less. Do you really need to leave the heating all day? Do you leave your TV or music system on standby? Switch it off. Do you do lots of little washing loads? Stop! Wait until you have a full load of washing to fill it up. One washing cycle should be enough.

2. Replace. Invest. Improve.

Is your house fitted with energy efficient light bulbs or do you use the old-fashioned energy-sapping type? Sometimes, to save money you need to invest a little bit of money to bring your home up-to-date. Don’t be afraid to spend money on things that will save you money in the long run – you’ll make huge savings and contribute less to global warming. If your home is fitted with draughty old doors and windows, consider replacing them with modern Upvc windows and composite doors. They will keep your house warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer, meaning you don’t have to spend a fortune of heating/cooling your home and you won’t generate unnecessary carbon emissions. If you really want to be green, use a man and van clearance company to remove and recycle your old windows and doors.

3. Water, Water, All Around.

One of the major contributors of carbon dioxide, according to the Energy Saving Trust UK, is the old fashioned gas heated boiler. Apparently, they account for 60% of a home’s carbon dioxide emissions. There is a fantastic alternative and it’s called a “G-rated boiler”. They are highly efficient and will drastically reduce your home’s carbon footprint. It is also estimated that they cost around £250 less to run, on a yearly basis. Of course, replacing your boiler may not be an attractive or affordable option but it is one quick and easy way to create a greener home. If you can’t afford a G-rated boiler, focus on improving your current boiler’s efficiency by making sure it isn’t over heating or coming on at unnecessary times. When you leave your home for a few days or weeks, make sure to switch it off entirely. We all know how it feels to get home from a holiday, only to realize that you’ve left the heating on full-blast the whole time! Other simple steps include monitoring your garden watering facilities. That water pump that comes on once a day to water your plants, even when it’s raining! A lot of the time, creating a greener home is about studying where and how you are wasting energy.

4. Go Green from the Ground Up.

People rarely think of the floor when they try to ‘greenify’ their home. But insulating your floorboards will reduce your yearly energy bill by around £65 a year and will, of course, reduce your home’s carbon emissions. If you have a higher budget, you could also re=seal any gaps or holes in your skirting boards to further insulate your home and make it that little bit more green.

5. Green & Clean Products.

Creating a green home and living a green lifestyle is about dedication to everything you do. If you can, try to make green options when buying your household cleaning products. Many of the products on the market are toxic to the environment, as well as to you and your family. Read the labels and try to commit yourself to buying products that are made with eco-friendly ingredients. More often than not you’ll find that they work just as well, only they have the added bonus of being better for the environment. There are lots to choose from when searching for eco-friendly brands, but a good place to start is with well-known brands such as Ecover who make their products from plant-based ingredients. This makes them biodegradable and less damaging to the environment and wildlife.

Written by Sohaib, who is passionate about living a green lifestyle and helping others to do the same.