10 Tips to Make Your Home Greener

As a global society, we are becoming increasingly aware of the need to make environmentally sustainable choices in order to ensure the prosperity of the next generation. If everyone does their part it can make a world of difference! Here are our top 10 tips on how to make your home greener:

1. Don’t drink bottled water

We are incredibly lucky to live in a country where the quality of water is so high that it can be drunk straight out of the tap. Every year the water bottle industry uses around 2.7 million tonnes of plastic as well as a huge amount of fossil fuels for transportation. This is an area where you can make a big difference! If you don’t like the taste or have older taps then you can install a filter to purify it as it is dispensed.

2.  Install a solar panel

They might require an initial outlay but over time a solar panel will pay for itself. It is essentially a form of free, green energy and will help reduce the burden on power companies as well as lower your energy bills.

3.  Use energy saving bulbs

Energy saving bulbs use around 20% less electricity than regular bulbs and last for up to 12 times longer. This saves time, money and global resources.

4.  Make sure your home is insulated

Heating a home without insulation is expensive and inefficient. Without ample insulation between the walls heat will seep out and you will have to run your radiators around the clock to keep warm. This is terrible for both the environment and your bank account. A properly insulated house should be able to retain its warmth for hours after the heating has been switched off.

5.  Buy recycled products

Choosing to buy recycled products such as toilet paper, tissues and paper is a great way to ease the pressure on the environment. Your support will also help to increase the market and encourage supermarkets to stock environmentally friendly products.

6.   Choose eco-friendly furniture

Buying home furnishings that are environmentally friendly and sustainable are a wonderful way to make your home greener. They don’t harm the environment and they are free of toxins such as VOCs that are found in many household goods.

7.   Use reusable bags

Plastic bags are one of the most detrimental factors contributing to global environmental waste. They have disastrous consequences for the earth and often end up in landfill sites or the ocean. Keeping a reusable bag with you at all times will ensure that you never have to accept a plastic bag again. Building up a collection and taking them to the supermarket can save hundreds of bags a year!

8.   Use environmentally friendly cleaning products

Many conventional cleaning products contain harsh chemicals and nasty toxins. Instead try using homemade recipes and natural ingredients such as lemon juice, bicarbonate soda and vinegar.

9.   Eat products that are in season

Choosing to buy products that are in season is a great way to support local farming and the UK economy! It also helps reduce the need for huge amounts of fossil fuels to be used in the transportation process of unseasonal goods.

10.  Recycle!

Recycling is the number one way to help make your home greener. It is simple, easy and will ensure that all your waste ends up where it is supposed to be.