5 ways to make your home greener this summer

How efficient is your home? In this day and age of green energy and trying to find the most environmentally friendly products to integrate into our lives, the way our homes function can make a big difference. From the everyday products we use, to the way we heat our homes, there is almost always a way to make your home greener.

If you think your house could stand to be upgraded to more efficient alternatives, read on! Here are five areas in your home where you can switch over to greener options

1. Eco-friendly products

First, and perhaps most easily, are changes you can make to the everyday household products you use. These are relatively inexpensive improvements that can cut down on your household waste significantly. If you’re still buying plastic water bottles, consider switching over to reusable ones. The same goes for grocery bags, and you can even get shampoo bars to replace those giant plastic bottles that take up so much room in your shower. 

Another environmentally friendly swap to make your home greener are cleaning products. Many cleaning products have harmful chemicals in them, whereas brands like Ecos, Method, and Mrs. Meyers, for example, all have environmentally friendly (and cruelty-free!) ingredients. Finally, if you’re still tossing food scraps in the trash, try getting a little compost bin for your kitchen. These little changes add up to have a big impact on the environmental efficiency of your daily routine.

2. Renewable energy

Think about everything you use energy for in your home. For example, air conditioning, heating, lights, and running water all suck up energy. You can make your home greener by changing the way it functions and operates, by investing in renewable energy. If your home uses gas or oil to provide electricity, this non-renewable energy burns fossil fuels and releases carbon dioxide into the air, which contributes to the pollutants harming the environment. Instead, make your home green by investing in solar panels or geothermal heating.

Solar panels use the sun for energy without needing to use non-renewable energy sources. They naturally produce the energy needed to run any household appliance. Geothermal heating uses energy right from the earth’s heat, and applies that to your home. Both of these options help your home run more efficiently and keep it green.

3. Switch your lightbulbs

We all know (or are) someone who turns on lights everywhere they go in their home, and never turns them off after. While this seems like a mild annoyance, it actually sucks a lot of energy out of your home. If you have halogen or incandescent lights, your home is burning through energy especially fast with these inefficient bulbs. 

Light Emitting Diode (LED) bulbs are commonly chosen for their energy efficiency and ability to make your home greener. LED lights don’t heat up as fast, they last longer, and they use less energy. This makes them a much more suitable option for those trying to be more eco-friendly and save money!

4. Plant a garden

Gardens don’t just look pretty and provide tasty vegetables. They’re good for the environment too! Gardening is a relatively cheap, albeit time consuming, activity that can make your home greener. Growing your own fruits and vegetables, for example, cuts down on the need to buy from big supermarkets. This reduces your plastic use and takes away from the need for transportation trucks to deliver food. If you don’t have a green thumb, try supporting local businesses! Farmers’ markets have amazing produce, often at a fraction of the price of classic grocery stores. 

If you opt for a classic flower garden, you will have the pleasure of attracting pollinators, like bees. These little critters are responsible for about one third of our food, making them an essential part of our food chain and ecosystem. Gardens also improve air quality, especially big trees that take in carbon and release oxygen. By planting a garden in your yard, you’re providing a little green oasis for yourself and for the environment!

5. Energy efficient home appliances

Every home uses appliances, but the brands you choose can make a big difference on your carbon footprint and how green your home is. Fridges, freezers, washers, dryers, dishwashers, etc. all have varying degrees of efficiency, depending on the brand. Not every appliance is built equally! Most big companies like LG, Miele, and Frigidaire have energy efficient options for their appliances that use less energy to run. Investing in one of these options can make your home greener by using energy far more efficiently and lowering your use of electricity.

Do what you can!

Of course, going completely eco-friendly can be challenging, not to mention expensive. As great as it would be to only shop for local and sustainable products, this isn’t always realistic. For example, vegetarian and vegan diets can be great for the environment, but they are pricey. Fast fashion is a big producer of greenhouse gases, but buying local and sustainable clothing is also expensive. Don’t feel guilty if you’re unable to transform your entire life to fit the greenest option! Any small action you take can help, even something as small as using reusable containers or straws. Governments and big corporations have the biggest responsibility to the environment, and you can just do what you can.

If you have any questions about buying a home or refinancing your mortgage, get in touch with us at Clinton Wilkins Mortgage Team! You can call us at (902) 482-2770 or contact us here.