Stop Food Waste. Buy smaller amounts of perishable items, little and often, to maximise freshness, and freeze vegetables, herbs and fruits that are over-ripe to use at a later date. FOR EXCLUSIVE FEATURES, RECIPES AND COMPETITIONS. It's tempting to spring for the dinky incandescents at the corner store, but that $17... 2. The combined impact we can make together is as important as those made on a governmental scale, and all it takes is these 15 easy switches. Open your blinds to allow rays of sunlight to warm up your home. What’s not to like? Doing your part for the planet doesn’t need to cost extra time or money. I am a great lover of a long soak in a bathtub full of aromatic oils and bath salts; even better when I’ve made them myself using organic and natural ingredients, without the need to resort to plastic packaging. Another way to support farmers is to buy ‘wonky’ veg, which is usually only slightly malformed fruit and veg, at a lower price. Sustainable Living: 10 Tips for a Greener Home 1. Sick of receiving endless letters through your mailbox and stashing bills, important documents and files in a drawer under the stairs? One of the best ways to do this is to speak to sustainability consultants, who will be able to provide you with analysis and ideas for how best to make changes to your home. Basic models allow you to create a temperature schedule. We use cookies to give you a better experience on veganfoodandliving.com. Forking out half your year's salary for a Prius isn't the only way to make your life more eco-friendly. Family Friendly Experiences on Google Assistant », Choosing The Right Materials For Your Kitchen, MECO Eleverde Dental Oral Irrigator Review, The Different Types of Damp and How to Manage It. Just think about how many resources could be saved. Seal gaps around doors and windows. Change your light bulbs: Green in 15: 15 top tips to help you live a greener lifestyle 1. Insulate your home. Save Water. 5. The solution is simple: go paperless. We strive to protect the planet and reduce our collective carbon footprint. Speak to an insulation expert or check out ways to insulate your home to keep the heat in during the winter months. One of the simplest ways to green your home, save energy and cut utility bills is to install programmable thermostats. There are economical and easy ways to save energy by making minor changes in your energy use. Every home is different and there’s usually a great deal that a homeowner can do to improve the green credentials of their property. What’s more, these changes can be quite simple and affordable. Recent Posts. Top 10 tips for making sure your garden is chemical free and growing strong. Buy responsibly-produced fashion from retailers such as H&M, People Tree and ASOS Africa. Tags:Earth Day, Eco-friendly Homes, featured, Green Homes, make your home more green, redfin, Tips & Advice, tips to go green. You can make your home a healthier, safer, and greener place by making just a few simple changes for an environment-friendly lifestyle. While it is always easy to toss out an old, tatty chair and replace it with a new one, upcycling your old furniture is now a unique, thrifty reinvention opportunity. 13) Keep your garden green in every sense possible. The following tips can help you be more green at home and often save a little money in the process. Insulation requires a small investment on your part, but you’ll soon recover those costs over time. Take a look at these simple ways to make a big impact on your carbon footprint. SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER FOR EXCLUSIVE FEATURES, RECIPES AND COMPETITIONS, SUBSCRIBE TO THE MAGAZINE She is currently researching and studying the various links between food and psychological health while pursuing a doctorate degree in counselling. Embrace natural cleaning products Minimalism is an emerging movement among the environmentally-conscious global community. Upgrade your home’s insulation. Insulating your home is an easy way to conserve heat so that you can reduce your bills, while also making your home greener. According to the Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy , the average American will spend $2,000 each year on electric alone. Adding a variety of plants to your home will improve the indoor air quality. 10 easy ways to make your home green - Please browse through our blog section for more information on Real Estate News. Charlotte is a freelance journalist and health writer who has worked with the Vegan Society and other online vegan publications. Just ask your providers to opt you into paperless, and away you go – saving lots of trees and transport costs along the way. In the summer they provide welcome shade but most importantly in the winter they help reduce heat loss from wind. Keep your hot water heater set between 120 and 140 degrees. A scary fact. Toronto Blog / Advice 10 easy ways to make your home green By Jackie Marchildon June 25, 2015 There are many ways to make your home green. Having a green home does not mean you have to cover your roof in solar panels or install a whirling wind turbine in your backyard. 13. Every time you go to make a purchase, think to yourself, ‘Do I really need this?’, ‘Can I wholeheartedly say that this product or item will enhance my life?’ Adopting this minimalist attitude will help declutter your life, reduce your monthly outgoings and help to conserve environmental resources. 5 Tips To Make Your Home More Green Of all the energy consumed in the United States every year, 40 percent is consumed by homes and businesses and most of that is from fossil fuels. Reduce the amount of clothes you buy and throw away, re-work and re-style your clothing, donate and recycle wherever possible. Minimalism encourages us to live within our means in an uncluttered and simple manner, making conscious decisions regarding each purchase we make and decision we take. Switch Your Lightbulbs. At home, we can all make decisions to be more environmentally conscious. Buying locally produced fruit and veg supports farmers in your area and gives them more of a direct source of income. That’s 5-10 plastic containers that will require replacing in a month’s time. Make sure that the tech you have got is as energy-efficient as possible. Saving water around the home is another way to reduce the environmental impact of your lifestyle and, as with reducing energy usage, can save you plenty of money. As energy costs grow and the environment continues to be put under pressure, there are a number of things we can do as individuals to make our homes more green and save energy and money while simultaneously contributing to … Lighting accounts for about 9 percent of a typical home’s energy... 2. (Turn to page 66 to find details of how to make your own bodywash. Make your home more green with these tips Save This living wall and green roof were planted by ANS Credit: ... Buying a home close to a London park … Why not take your own food to work instead? When it comes to making your home more green, recycling is kind of a no-brainer; but according to … Home electricity is one of the major energy drains on the planet, so this infographic gives you 10 ways to make your home greener. via Redfin. Always remember to opt for paper straws where available and refuse plastic alternatives. 10 Ways to Make Your Home More Green. We're not saying no paper towels—that move takes serious commitment—we're saying... 3. Take your own cup. The solution is simple: keep a glass or reusable water bottle with you at all times, that way you’re sure to never use another plastic water bottle again. A staggeringly high proportion of commercial cleaning products contain ingredients that are either derived from animals or are tested on animals. Living a zero-waste life doesn’t entail a complete cessation of garbage production, it simply requires you to waste well and waste efficiently. Besides the damage to your wallet, food wastage contributes a significant strain on environmental resources, producing needless crops that could have been salvaged if thoughtful planning was applied. Checking out local farmer’s markets, produce shops and community gardens yields great environmental benefits. Part of living includes wasting. Instead of relying upon these products, whip out your essential oils and make your own! Everything from coffee cups to plastic cutlery, disposable razors and straws – you name it, there will most likely be a wasteful, single-use plastic derivative invading your green-seeking lifestyle. For sustainable living, switch to LED or CFL lights. This way, you’re using much less energy for the time that the product is on, saving money, and reducing your energy output. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Greener Ideal helps you live in more sustainable ways with green living tips, commentary on the latest environment news, green product reviews, healthy recipes, and more. Heating and cooling costs make up the biggest portion on your energy bill. 3 million, and it’s increasing year on year. The average household will throw away a third of its food shop every week. Sounds simple, but this seemingly unassuming swap could end up saving you a lot of money, and a lot of energy. One of my favourite items to bulk-buy are tomatoes. Win Win! Changing your energy supplier to one that’s 100% renewable is a great eco-friendly tip for any home. In fact, it can even save you money. The Green Deal helps you make energy-saving improvements to your home and to find the best way to pay for them. Eventually, you’ll be able to pick up a bargain or two when you become a regular customer, even more so if you buy in bulk. Impressive, huh? Get your family involved . Take your own Tupperware box for the restaurant to use. These farmers might also use a more sustainable and smaller-scale method of farming, which helps conserve natural wildlife and soil preservation. Do you know how to live in a “greener” house?There are many things you can do to make your house more environment friendly and sustainable. By continuing to use our site, you are agreeing to the use of cookies as set in our Cookie Policy. Love to be warm and toasty during the winter and nice and cool during the summer? If I had a penny for every time I pass a commuter on a lunch-break carrying a Pret sandwich or a Boots meal deal… While the odd lunch out is good for the soul, regular commuter lunches all too often come served with a hefty side of environmental damage. So if you’re keen to increase your home’s efficiency, here are our top 10 steps: 1. Easy Ways You Can Become More Organised In Your Life. Add Plants to your Home. There’s no doubt that our spending habits have become accustomed to £3 T-shirts and bargain basement clothing, but at what cost? Staggeringly, it is estimated that 1 million plastic bottles are bought and used every single minute across the globe. These nifty inventions can be found online, and don’t cost too much (a decent phone charger is about £35). Now, times are changing, and we are seeing a shift in consumer patterns towards sustainability and responsibility. Her fields of expertise and interest include vegan nutrition, holistic healthcare, mindfulness and fitness. Use compost instead of synthetic fertilizers. Collect rainwater, and use it to water your houseplants and garden. Fancy a take away? (For more information visit goingzerowaste.com). Listen to the Vegan Food & Living Podcast. You don’t have to go out of your way much to make a big difference and go green. After all, half of your energy bill goes toward heating and cooling your home [source: Archer ]. Somewhere between the hustle and bustle of a 9-5, while we preoccupy our thoughts with lusting after the latest and greatest trend, consuming at an alarmingly exponential rate, it seems we have become grossly out of touch with where resources come from. 33. From a simple re-upholster of a cushion to sanding down and painting old wooden tables, chests and stools, a bit of DIY here and there creates some interesting and alternative styles that you can’t find on the high street. Transforming to a paperless lifestyle entails being pretty computer savvy. There’s no escape from the fact that we all use items and produce waste. Houseplants help filter the air and remove toxins. Your efforts to going green will be undermined if your other family members don’t strive to do the same. LED and lower energy lightbulbs typically use between 25-80% less electricity and will last anywhere between 10-25 times longer than a traditional incandescent bulb would. Green Living: How to Make Your Home More Eco-friendly by Just Energy | Electricity , Sustainable Energy Mankind’s increased emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide cause global temperatures to increase, oceans to warm, ice sheets to shrink, glaciers to retreat, sea levels to rise, ocean acidification, and an strengthens extreme natural disasters. I make my own bath oils, face oils, face wash, body wash, shampoos and conditioners – and they don’t require too much effort or time, I promise! You might not believe the efforts of one person can help reduce environmental pollution, but what if every reader of this feature made five changes to their lifestyle? Are you grabbing a coffee before work? VEGAN FOOD & LIVING IS THE FASTEST GROWING UK VEGAN MAGAZINE, SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER Search. Step 3: Switch to renewables. Wrapped in plastic and plastic-enforced packaging, most options on the high street are either non-recyclable or difficult to process in common recycling plants. Clean the fridge coils. Some of the most popular methods for going green include recycling and using less-harsh cleaning materials, but here are some more tips for making your home more green. Other ways to keep heating costs … Tips on how to make your Home a Green Home Attaching renewables to your home is pointless if it’s so poorly insulated that heat flows straight out. The fashion industry is the second most heavily polluting industry on a global scale. Not to mention the vast array of harmful and polluting agents concealed behind warning labels. You get a better price and can freeze, refrigerate, juice and sauce to your heart’s content. You could set up an online filing system using the Cloud and opt to go paperless for your significant documents, such as bank statements and phone bills. ... 10 Ways to Make Your Garden More Green ... so if you don't have … To make your shopping easy, look for a purifier labeled as a "true" HEPA, which can remove more of the smallest particles faster -- or 99.97% of … 1. But what if I told you I know people who can fit their entire year’s worth of rubbish into a single mason jar. Be mindful and plan ahead. What Are The Essentials When Preparing For A New Baby? There’s no doubt about it, we have become a throw-away society. Older homes tend to have gaps around doors and windows that let in outside air or... 3. Ditching the regular four-wheel morning commute in favour of two-wheeled transport will cut your carbon emissions, burn through some extra calories and reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease by up to 46%. Recycle all you can, compost your kitchen and garden waste, refuse to buy and use single-use items and reduce your burden upon plastic. To make your home even more of an insulated fortress, you may want to upgrade your weather stripping and sealant around the doors and windows. You can solve many problems by taking small steps towards converting your non-green home into an eco-friendly home. [1] Besides the damage to... 2. Let The Light In Feeling chilly? Becoming environmentally conscious is as easy as 1, 2, 3… 15! This is a way to add a little decor while improving the quality of the air your family breathes. This will also make your home a pleasant place to live in -- for you, and for future generations. Reducing the amount of resources you use daily is as easy as keeping a bottle with you! Here are 5 super easy but effective ways to greenify your home and by extension, your life. It never ceases to amaze me how out of touch the majority of us are with our environment. 6. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Use more rags, fewer paper towels. Now that’s one hell of an incentive! Swap in some LED bulbs. Powered by WordPress. Switch to cloth diapers – or at least combine with disposables (even one cloth diaper per day means 365 fewer disposables in the landfill annually). The very planet that gives us life, we actively abuse and mistreat daily, without so much as a passing thought. Individually, we can all choose to make a difference to the fate of our planet. Wrapped in tin foil or in a Tupperware box, you’ll save yourself a fortune and most likely make responsible, healthier meal decisions. You don’t have to convert to solar energy or grow all of your own food – MSN offers some great, easy tips on going green and making a big difference! The post 15 Tips to Make Your Home More Green appeared first on Redfin Real Estate Blog. The only energy expended is yours. If you are looking to make your home more energy efficient or are just trying to cut back on expenses, a programmable thermostat is a great tool to help you manage the temperature of your home. Switching to natural cleaning products, which have minimal impact upon the ecosystem (such as Waitrose’s Ecological Range or Ecozone), promotes environmental harmony and helps reduce our dependence upon animal testing. Consider using an old-fashioned push mower, especially if you have a small garden. 1. Find out why sustainable living is basically just another way of saying “smart living”. Use short cycles for washing clothes: Modern washing machines have an … Potted plants Going GREEN isn't only for the environmentally friendly; it’s also a great way to save money on energy costs and keep your home and family happy and healthy. Computer 15 tips to make your home more green replacing in a month ’ s content way to add little! 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