Make Your Home Eco-friendly With These Easy Changes

We’re all concerned about Mother Earth and want to do our part to be more eco-friendly.  The good news is that you can make small changes in your home that makes a big impact. Some of these changes are pocket-friendly and do not take up a lot of time. They are quite efficient and can turn your place into an eco-friendly one. Here are the changes that can make your home more eco-friendly.

Use cold water to wash your clothesMost of the energy used up by the washing machine goes to warming the water according to Energy Star. Skip this altogether and just use the cold water setting. This will not only restrict the emission of CO2 but will also maintain your clothes in good condition for long periods. Hot water is responsible for deteriorating the fabric and as a result, the colors of your clothing will appear less vibrant.  If you feel that the cold water settings are not getting the job done, add some baking soda for extra cleaning power.  Use hot water sparingly to sanitize or when you’re facing stubborn stains.

 Skip the use of a dryer as much as possibleAs the weather is warming up and we have more sunny days, hanging your clothes outside to dry is a perfect option. There’s something special about hanging the clothes out in the sun. Whites turn whiter and your clothes will last longer rather. Some people may not have a backyard or a garden where they can hang clothes. In such cases, you can place a drying rack on the balcony or in home and keep your windows open to allow the sun to dry the clothes faster.

 

Use LED bulbs rather than the usual light bulbsEnergy-efficient light bulbs are a great investment as they make a huge difference to energy use. You will not only consume less energy but you are also making your house more eco-friendly. It doesn’t matter how tempting the use of incandescent bulbs is, the LED bulbs are a better option. They are eco-friendly, last longer, and in the long run, save money.

 

 Get blinds and curtainsBlinds and curtains are not just used for keeping the nosy neighbors away. They are also capable of keeping the cold air and heat out. Cold air and heat have a way of creeping inside the room despite maintaining the windows in a closed position. By upgrading your blinds and curtains you will make sure that you are maintaining the proper room temperature without draining your AC or furnace.  Thus making your home more environment-friendly. Moreover, you can also use the HVAC equipment to assist you in countering this issue. This will not only provide you with a certain solution but an eco-friendly one as well.

 

Get a compost bin and a recycle binIf you have a recycling bin, you are more likely to be conscious about recycling jars, glass bottles, paper, and other such items that can be recycled. In much the same way, a compost bin helps you in getting rid of the leftovers and it will provide a free fertilizer that can be used for plants. Nowadays, compost bins are designed to be tidy, neat, and free from odor. In addition to this, they make your life simpler as they are helping you decrease household waste.

 

Have plants and herbsIf you are wondering what you can do with your fertilizer, the answer is simple! You can plant an herb garden of your own. Herbs do not take up a lot of space. It’s possible to plant them in smaller pots and place them close to sunny windows. What’s the benefit of doing this? You will always get fresh herbs to make your favorite dishes. Are you worrying that your room is not bright enough for plants to grow? No need to worry. All you need to do is make some space for an indoor grow tent that will allow you to grow plants inside, even if the room is otherwise dark.

 Be smart in the kitchen I like to hand wash my dishes, but recently learned that it’s more efficient to use a dishwasher.  A dishwasher uses less water and less detergent so is more eco-friendly than hand washing.  If you don’t have a dishwasher, you can employ some easy steps to reduce the use of water.  Remove all food particles from your dishes. Then soap up all dishes using a small bowl full of detergent and water.  Once all the dishes are scrubbed, rinse with hot water and let the dishes air dry.  Some people like to dry dishes with a towel but this may pass germs and bacteria from dish to dish.  Air drying is best and leaves a spotless shine.