Having an eco-friendly home is a simple way of caring for the environment, and it’s even easier than you may think. Eco-friendly homes are not only good for the environment, but they’re also beneficial for the budget as they bring about lower utility costs. Here are a few tips to a greener home:
- Switch your light bulbs to CFLs. These are a great way to save energy. Some are even brighter than standard light bulb, but are consuming a lot less energy.
- Try turning off lights and unplug appliances when not in use. This will have quite a huge impact on your next electricity bill, you’ll see.
- Install skylights in your home. Sunlight is the best source of light – and it’s free! So why not make the most out of it?
- Consider installing a ceiling fan, less costly than having a room air conditioner, and certainly far less costly than using central air conditioner in your home.
- Plant an herb garden. This can be a very attractive addition to one’s home. And with this, you can just turn to your garden for some meds and cooking needs.
- Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth. For a family of four, this would save as much as 48 gallons of water a day – that’s as much as $70 a year!
- Wash laundry in cold water instead of hot.
- Fix leaking faucets.
- Try using low flow toilets. These use less water but does the same job as regular toilets.
- Collect rainwater, and use it to water your houseplants and garden.
- Dryers are one of the most energy-intensive appliances, so use clothes lines to hang your clothes instead.
- Buy second-hand furniture. This saves you money, and it also cuts down on resources in manufacturing a complete new set of furniture.
