While building green homes has become the cool new thing in the construction industry, you don’t have to start from scratch to create an earth friendly, energy efficient green home. From remodeling to simple steps, such as taking advantage of local recycling and composting options, you have the power to create a healthier home for your family and the planet. If you care about the environment and want to learn how to create a green home that results in long-term savings, here the top 10 tips to create a green home:
- Educate Yourself When Remodeling – We are so lucky to live in an age of nearly endless environmentally friendly materials. When embarking on your next remodel project contact a local LEED Certified contractor. If you choose to forgo a local contractor in favor of a DIY green remodel project investigate the full range of earthly friendly materials from bamboo and cork flooring to furniture made with natural renewable materials.
- Cut Down On Garbage – Three words: sort, recycle, compost. While you may not be able to get rid of 100% of the garbage you put in the ground, you can get rid of most of it. Check out local recycling and compost centers near you to see what items are accepted and if curbside pickup is available.
- Minimize Toxins – Be careful of the chemicals you bring into your home through cleaning products. Many everyday cleaning products contain chemicals that are not only harmful to the environment, but to your health as well. From Seventh Generation to Mrs. Meyers Clean Day Household Cleaners, a variety of earth friendly cleaners are readily available in most major retailers.
- Upgrade Your Appliances – While this option initially involves a decent outlay of cash, the long term savings you’ll incur are huge. Today’s energy saving appliances are supported by local and national programs, such as Energy Star (implemented jointly by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy), which can provide rebates and tax incentives.
- Ask Yourself If It’s Really Necessary – Before running the dishwasher half empty or printing the company’s entire annual report, check-in with yourself and evaluate the alternatives. Can you wait a day to run the next load of dishes? Is it possible to read the report of your iPad rather than paper?
- Ditch The Disposable Plastic – Plastic is everywhere you look, but you have the option to cut it out of your home. The most important step is to recycle all plastic, but by using Tupperware rather than cellophane and choosing to utilize a personal coffee cop, rather a paper or plastic Starbuck’s cup, you can start to make a significant impact.
- Reduce Your Meat Intake – You’ve probably heard meat is harmful to your health, but did you know that according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), agriculture is responsible for 18% of the total release of greenhouse gases worldwide (this is more than the whole transportation sector). Do your health and the environment a favor and check out some veg friendly cuisines – even one day a week will make a difference!
- Watch Your Water – The average American uses 140-170 gallons of water per day! By making sure you only use the water you actually need you can drastically reduce your water waste. Easy steps to take include fixing leaky faucets (a leaky faucet can waste 100 gallon of water a day), taking shorter showers and cutting down on your outdoor watering.
- Clean The Air – Load your home with indoor plants. Plants will brighten up your home and clean the air at the same time! Don’t forget to include a CO2 detector for optimal air control.
- Plug It In, Or Not – Be smart when it comes to your electrical power. Use rechargeable batteries when necessary and unplug items, such as computers and toasters when they’re not in use. Electrical items use nearly as much electricity in sleep mode or when stagnant as they do when they’re in use!
