How to Set-up a Green Home
Due to environmental concerns, many wonder how they can live greener at home. As people learn ways of conserving and recycling, they are amazed to discover how easy it is to go green. Not only does a green home support a better environment, but it can also be cost-effective. With a few adjustments, everyone can enjoy the benefits of green living.
One of the major ways your home consumes energy is through heating and cooling costs. If you set your home’s thermostat to 20 degrees Celsius or 68 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter and to 25 degrees Celsius or 78 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer, you’ll both conserve energy and save money, too.
You can also save energy costs if you can create shade in the summer at the west and east ends of your home. This can keep your indoor temperature several degrees cooler while the sun is at its hottest in the morning and afternoon. If you cook early in the day before the temperature is at its hottest or late in the day after it has cooled down, this will also reduce your energy needs because heat won’t be trapped inside your home, thus reducing your dependence on air conditioning. You can also use ceiling fans to circulate the air and help keep it from becoming too hot.
Another way you can go green is to watch your own consumption. Reduce or your use of or avoid using polyethylene plastic bags, such as those offered at grocery stores. These bags are made with petroleum, which is a fossil fuel. In addition, 100 billion of these plastic bags are thrown away every year, so that their disposal presents a hazard to the environment. Instead of using plastic bags, invest a few dollars in some reusable cloth grocery bags. This will greatly reduce the amount of plastic bags that are wasted every year, which will positively impact global warming.
Plastic water bottles increase the level of greenhouse gases as they languish in landfills. To reduce this impact, every member of the family should have their own re-usable water bottle to carry with them when they are away from home. Filling bottles before leaving home also saves money.
To reduce fuel costs and rising carbon emissions, public transportation or carpooling is ideal for daily travel. With fewer cars on the road, not only will the air be cleaner, but also the cost of public transportation by train, bus or carpooling can save consumers hundreds or even thousands of dollars each year. As the demand for fuel decreases, retail prices for fuel does also. For neighborhood errands, walking or riding a bicycle is another great way to cut fuel emissions and both are an effective form of exercise.
If you’re about to remodel your home, bypass the hardwood flooring and instead install bamboo flooring. Bamboo flooring is environmentally friendly because it is self-replenishing and produces a high yield. The bamboo matures in six to eight years, versus the 50 to 100 years it takes the trees necessary for hardwood floors to mature. And when you install your bamboo flooring, use glues that don’t contain formaldehyde, which is very toxic.
Finally, whenever possible, to see electronic bill payment system of paper bills. Companies sometimes offer discounts to customers who opt out of the paper bill choice and who choose to receive and pay bills electronically. This saves many trees every year because of the paper saved, and also helps keep paper waste products out of landfills. To further reduce paper usage and keep paper out of landfills, when you must buy paper products choose those that are recycled and choose products that are unbleached. Bleaching paper is toxic to the environment.
Some erroneously assume that going green takes a lot of thought and work, but in fact, it’s pretty easy to do once you know how. If you go green, you can have the satisfaction of knowing that you are doing your part to take care of the planet — and save some money besides.
