Keeping It Sustainable – 6 Additions That Make For A Healthy Home
You don’t have to conduct hours of research to come up with a few ideas to make your home a little eco-friendlier. You don’t have to spend a lot of money either to create a sustainable or energy-efficient house. Just a few tweaks and changes to your regular choices are going to do the trick. That’s right because keeping the carbon footprint of your house under control is your responsibility. Once you put your mind to it, nothing is going to be difficult for you. Let’s begin with a few easy tips for a sustainable and energy-efficient household:
1. Bring The Green In
What plants do you like the most? Which tiny shrubs and greens do you want to see every day in your house? The list can be very long giving you almost endless choices for your house. If you are looking for a good addition to your home to add more oxygen and colour, look for a bamboo plant or sweet basil. You can also go for a spider plant, mint, coriander, peace lily, flowering cactus, or even aloe vera. Some people choose to invest in beautiful vines and several air-purifying plants as well which are quite a craze these days. Do not forget to invest in a bag of mulch and fertilizers for your precious plants.
2. Let There Be Light And A Little More
It is never a good idea to leave dark spaces in and around your property. Whenever you are shopping for light fixtures, make sure that they are not too small or too big for your home. The size has to be just right and the aesthetics should go with the interior of your house. Opting for eco-friendly light bulbs or LEDs is a great way to make your home more energy-efficient. In the past few years, the effectiveness and energy efficiency of these bulbs have increased tremendously. They can give you ample light on a budget and without raising your electricity bills. The types of holders and designs that are available in the market are simply marvelous and you are going to fall in love with each piece as soon as you lay your eyes on them.
3. Insulation Is The Key
When you talk about insulation, you often forget how it allows you to reduce your energy consumption and the resultant electricity bills. The right type of insulation is going to keep your home cool in the summers and warm in the winter. This will reduce your overall need for keeping your house well air-conditioned in the summers and heated up during the winters. This is a great way to reduce your overall carbon footprint and preserve the environment from any more harm.
4. Wood Sourced Intelligently
Have you ever thought of investing in solid wood patio furniture or intricately carved wooden cupboards from a local retailer? Many of these products are made from wood that is sourced from sustainably managed forests. This takes you a few steps ahead when it comes to making your home even more sustainable. There is very minimal use of petrochemicals such as polyester and nylon which makes these furniture pieces much healthier for your family. Even the manufacturing processes are very sustainable and do not result in the release of harmful gases and fumes.
5. Water-Based Paints
Why are water-based paints so popular? This is because they are made from natural pigments that are not at all harmful to you or your family. Currently, the paints available in the market are oil-based and not as eco-friendly as you would want them to be. A lot of them release several gases and odours the moment you begin applying the first coat. With water-based paints, this is not at all the case. They do not just spread well but are environmentally friendly and healthy for your family too.
6. Due Care To End Of Life
What happens to the materials that come to the end of their useful life cycle? What do you do with them? And don’t say that you throw them into the nearest landfill. To avoid such vicious circles, the first thing that you can do is invest in biodegradable or naturally decomposable products. Whether it is your furniture or any other object of decoration, make sure that the material used to construct them is environmentally friendly and breaks down easily in the presence of oxygen and moisture without releasing any toxins.
There you have it. Some of the most interesting and fun ways to make your house sustainable and environmentally friendly. Which tips are you going to use today?
