If there’s one thing we can all do to make a difference in the world–both for our pocketbooks and the environment–it’s to create a “greener home”. A green home is a home that uses fewer resources—like water and electricity—and produces fewer waste products. That doesn’t mean it has to come at the expense of our comfort or style. Today, I’m going to share 4 green home DIY projects that are doable and inexpensive, so you can start making your home greener today!
1. Replace air fresheners with essential oils
Air fresheners have been linked to allergies, asthma and respiratory problems. Some are even known carcinogens. And those are just the risks you take using them in your home. What about what you’re doing to the planet? Most air fresheners contain phthalates, chemicals that can disrupt your hormones and cause birth defects. They also often contain aerosol-propelling chemicals like butane and propane, which contribute heavily to smog.
If you don’t want to expose your body or the planet to these risks, it’s time to toss those toxic air fresheners and switch over to an all-natural alternative. Essential oils are a great option for a greener home because they not only leave your house smelling fresh and clean – they do it without polluting the environment or threatening the health of your family in any way!
2. Use an eco friendly solution for cleaning
With the whole world going green, there is no reason why you shouldn’t have a home that is environmentally friendly. There are many ways in which you can create a greener home and one of them is to use eco friendly solutions for cleaning. Cleaning your home is something that you do on a regular basis and by using some of these natural products for cleaning, you will not only be helping the environment but also reduce the amount of chemicals that you are exposed to daily.
Here are just some of the things that you can use as an eco friendly solution for cleaning:
Baking soda – This has many uses around the house and is great for removing stains from carpets, clothes and even your teeth. You can also use it as a deodorizer by sprinkling it on your floor and then vacuuming it up.
Lemon Juice – This has astringent properties and can be used to clean your skin as well as disinfect surfaces. It is also great at removing stains from plastic containers.
Vinegar – This is one of the most popular eco friendly solutions for cleaning and can be used in practically every room in your home. It can be used to clean glass, remove stains, clean drains and even remove bad smells from carpets.
3. Switch to green energy
As the world continues to expand and our population grows, we are placing more pressure on our natural resources. Every day, we use fossil fuels to power our homes and businesses. Fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas are non-renewable – they will eventually run out. Most of them also pollute the air when they are burned.
Luckily, there is an alternative – renewable energy sources. Renewable energy sources include things like hydroelectric energy from dams, solar power from the sun, wind power from the wind, geothermal energy from underground heat, ocean thermal energy from the heat of the ocean and wave power from the sea. These sources do not pollute the air when they are used, and they cannot be used up.
Green Energy for a Greener Home
At home, you can save money by using green energy instead of traditional fossil fuels for heating and electricity. You can replace all or just some of your appliances with green technology; anything you do will help reduce your carbon footprint! Here are some common ways to start living a greener lifestyle at home:
Use compact fluorescent bulbs instead of incandescent light bulbs
Turn off lights in unoccupied rooms
Unplug appliances that you don’t use
4. Get energy efficient appliances
As we head into the holiday season, many of us are thinking about how we can get our homes ready for guests. And many of us are looking for ways to make our homes greener. A great way to accomplish both of these goals is by upgrading your appliances to energy efficient models.
Energy Star-rated appliances use 10-50% less energy than standard models, so you will save on utility bills every month. And Energy Star appliances are available for just about everything in your home: refrigerators, dishwashers, clothes washers, clothes dryers, water heaters, and room air conditioners. Moreover, if you live in Southern California and your air conditioner breaks, you can check out this list of the best contractors to fix your AC in Riverside.
Energy savings from Energy Star appliances add up quickly. In a typical U.S. home, appliances account for 13% of total energy use and 5% of total greenhouse gas emissions – that’s more than any other household appliance or system! If every home in America replaced their old refrigerators with eligible ENERGY STAR refrigerators, the annual savings would be enough to power more than 3 million homes and save consumers more than $1 billion annually while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 9 billion pounds per year – equivalent to those from nearly 800,000 ttactics cars.
