Everyone wants the world to be a better place. Being eco-friendly is a very easy way to do that. You don’t have to do much to make the world a better place for everyone to enjoy. Recycle here and there is a good way to make the world nicer and leave behind a better atmosphere for our children or the next generation. However, people have a hard time coming up with ways to be eco-friendly on a daily basis. Of course, it’s easy to put that water bottle in a plastic recyclable can, but there are things that you do or use on a daily basis that are wasting resources and costing the planet its beauty and livability. So here are some ways to make your modern home more eco-friendly that I bet you never thought about.
Putting LED lights in your home instead of your usual light bulbs won’t only save on the electric bill, but will ultimately help the environment. It’s so easy just to swap out a few bulbs here or there. Plus, LED lights last longer so you won’t be changing them as often as you would imagine. Get some great LED bulbs here for about $26 (pack of 16).
Another great way to save on the environment is to stop using trees to clean up kitchen messes. Bounty will probably be mad at me for saying this, but it’s the truth. People use way too many paper towels and it actually costs you a lot of money over the course of a year. You not only can save the environment but save money by using rags instead. Do you have some old dish towels or bath towels that are dingy or rugged? Those are perfect for using rags. If you don’t you can go to a second-hand store like Goodwill and get some cheap towels to use as rags. It’s a win-win for everyone!
Clean the filter on your dryer and the fridge coils each month. By cleaning these items you won’t just save energy, but your life will be better immediately. By cleaning the refrigerator coils your fridge will stay cooler without using up a ton of energy. By cleaning the filter on the drying you’re not only saving yourself from getting old lint on you or possibly causing a dryer fire, but you’re also using less energy and saving on your electricity bill. To clean these items properly get a small thin brush like this one. For around $13.00 you will be saving hundreds or more a year. It all adds up! Oh and you’re also saving the environment, of course!
Shop vintage or second-hand items for furniture. This will save on our landfills and you will feel good about getting a cheap good quality piece of furniture you can leave the way it is or customize to make your own. Every year thousands upon thousands of old chairs and sofas are thrown into landfills causing horrific environmental issues for animals and our lands. You can save all this from happening by purchasing that piece of furniture from a second-hand store or websites like Chairish.
Getting window treatments like blinds or shutters can help save you energy! Even if your windows are closed you could be wasting energy from the sun coming in and creating a too hot environment so your AC has to work overtime. Adding some tasteful window coverings or shutters can fix all that. To be extra fancy go with plantation shutters.
Use only cold water when you’re washing your clothes. You have probably heard your mother say it a million times, but it’s so true. You’re not only saving money here from using less energy, but you’re also not setting stains into your clothing. Cold water helps get stains out. Warm or hot water will set stains. Also, as a bonus, check your stains before you put the clothes in the dryer. If you put your clothes in the dryer and the stain hasn’t been removed the dryer will set the stain.
Use cloth napkins. Not only do they make your home seem more elegant and modern, but they help the environment. You’re not using all that paper that’s going to clog up landfills and oceans. Plus, you can get some pretty amazing cloth napkins at a decent price. Go here to check out cloth napkins that are available.
Upgrade to a smart thermostat like Nest. By upgrading to a Smart Thermostat you’re not only making your home more eco-friendly, but you’re saving money doing it. How does it do this? Well, the eco mode drops the temperature when you’re not home. Yeah, that Smart Thermostat knows when you’re not home. Crazy right? Get yours here.
By changing just a few things in your modern home you can make the world a better place for you and everyone. Make our environment better and make these changes permanent. You can start with a few changes and then add on each month by changing something you do to become more ecofriendly. Use this article as a starter list for your home.