How to Make Your Property More Environmentally Friendly

There has been a huge move towards sustainability in recent years, as now more people than ever are looking to do their bit to reduce their carbon footprint. More people than ever are adopting sustainable lifestyles, and people are reducing the amount of meat they are eating and shopping more consciously. Individuals who are looking to reduce their environmental impact will also likely be looking at ways to make their homes more sustainable.

At first, reducing the environmental impact of your home can seem like a rather daunting prospect, after all, not everyone has the money to invest in solar panels. However, making your home more sustainable does not have to be costly or even time-consuming. Even the smallest and simplest changes can add up over time and reduce your home’s impact on the environment.

Not only is making your home more sustainable less expensive and time-consuming than some might think, but it can also be good for your pocket too. This is because many environmentally friendly improvements can actually help you to save money. The list is here to help you learn some of the most effective ways that you can make your home more sustainable today.

Stick to a Cold Wash

Simply switching from a hot to a cool wash can help you to reduce your environmental impact. This is because up to 90% of the energy that a washing machine uses goes into heating up the water. Switching to a cool wash can help you to save energy and reduce your carbon footprint. Washing your clothes at a cooler temperature has also been found to keep your clothes in good condition for longer. This means that a cool wash can help you to save money on both clothes and electricity.

Avoid Using the Dyer

You should avoid using the dryer whenever possible and instead hang your clothes up to dry. This will help you to reduce the amount of energy you are using and help you keep your clothes in good condition for much longer.

Conduct a Water Audit

Conducting a water audit is one of those measures that offer the double benefit of helping save money while simultaneously making your property more environmentally friendly. A water audit will help you to identify areas in your home or your habits where you are currently wasting water. This, in turn, will enable you to make the necessary changes and modify your behavior to ensure that you are no longer inadvertently wasting water.

Replace Old Bulbs With LEDs

When you next need to replace your light bulbs, you should make sure that you are using LED bulbs instead of incandescent bulbs. LED bulbs have been found to be up to 80% more energy-efficient than conventional bulbs and far less wasteful. LED bulbs tend to last about twenty times longer than conventional light bulbs, which means that you can save the time and money you would have spent replacing conventional bulbs. Unlike conventional bulbs, LED bulbs are non-toxic, which means they are much safer for the environment and do not require specialist disposal.

Install a Programmable Thermostat

Installing a programmable thermostat will enable you to monitor your air conditioning and heating systems. The programmable thermostat allows you to take control, save energy and reduce the cost of heating or cooling your home, all while making your property more energy-efficient.

Use Natural Cleaning Products

Classic cleaning products usually contain strong ingredients that are harmful to the environment when you wash them away down your sink. Natural cleaning products are just as effective as the alternative but are much better for the environment. You could even make your own cleaning products with items you will likely have around your homes like baking soda, vinegar, and lemon juice.

Add in Some New Bins

Adding in a compost bin and a recycling bin can help you manage your waste and rubbish in a much more mindful way. Getting into the habit of recycling your glass bottles, jars and paper might take a few days, but it will quickly become second nature.

Many people have put off the idea of getting a compost bin because they assume that it will make their kitchen smell. There are many very well-designed compost bins on the market that will completely seal any odor. You can then use the compost you create from your food waste to feed your house or garden plants.

Dress Up Your Windows

Dressing up your windows with blinds or curtains makes your property look more homely and private and helps you keep out hot weather or trap in warmth. This means that you will have to spend less money and energy heating or warming your property.

Add in Some House Plants

Adding in some house plants will help to purify the air in your home by turning some of the CO2 back into oxygen. A house plant is also a great use for all the compost that you are collecting. Instead of watering your house plant with freshwater, try collecting the water that you use to wash your vegetables with and using this instead.

Load Your Dishwasher Carefully

You should make sure to fill up your dishwasher completely before running a wash to make sure that you are as energy-efficient as possible. You might also want to try running your dishwasher in the middle of the night. Running your dishwasher at night will mean that you are using your electricity company’s off-peak hours, which will reduce peak energy demand. There is also the chance that you will be charged less when using energy in off-peak hours.

Be Mindful in the Kitchen

When you are cooking, you should try to be as mindful as possible with your electricity. This means that you should try and plan your cooking schedule so that all of your dishes are going in the oven simultaneously. If you use the oven for cooking toast, you should move to more energy-efficient devices like the toaster.