Today many people prefer sustainable homes to conventional homes. With a radically changing environment, there is a need to go green and conserve our natural resources. The best part about going green is that you protect the environment and save some money. While building a sustainable home is costly, the rewards are worth it. In most cases, you will soon recoup your initial investment. But how do you make your house more sustainable? Below are ways you can be part of the green movement and make your home sustainable.
Energy costs are increasing daily with the increased cost of power production. This is because we are over-exploiting non-renewable natural resources. For example, most countries use fuel-powered generators and coal plants to produce electricity. These are non-renewable natural resources. With these natural resources depleting, the energy costs keep on rising. Also, the use of these natural resources pollutes the environment. Therefore, to protect the environment and save money while at it, you should consider using solar power.
Solar power is free and a renewable source of energy. There is enough for everyone in the world. With solar panels, you can power all your home appliances and lights. It is the ideal way of building sustainable homes. However, since going off-grid is expensive, you can always start small i.e., start with a solar water heater, solar lights, solar sump pump and gradually have your entire home solar powered.
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We all want to have water running in our taps. But this comes at a high cost and, many times, we have no water in the taps. The water shortage in many towns results from drying rivers and reduced water levels in many water reservoirs due to environmental pollution. This, therefore, means the situation is not changing soon. The only way to salvage the situation is to go green by installing rainwater tanks. Many areas experience sufficient rainfall throughout the year. It means that it is possible to have enough water for domestic use. All you need is to construct or buy quality rainwater tanks made from sustainable materials. With these tanks, you collect and store the rainwater for later use.
When it comes to sustainable homes, home insulation is critical. A high percentage of our electricity bills go into heating and cooling our homes. This is because lots of energy is used conditioning poorly insulated homes. This means lots of energy goes to waste, which impacts not only your pockets but also the environment. By insulating your home, for example, wall insulation, installing double glazed windows, roof insulation, etc., you will save a lot of energy, which is good for the environment. You will as well reduce heating bills.
Making your home sustainable is more than installing solar panels, insulation, and installing water tanks. Think of all the furniture, appliances, and other products in your home. Are they environmentally sustainable? In this case, sustainable products mean that the raw materials used are supplied from a sustainable source. For example, when it comes to flooring, you can go for bamboo flooring as it is easy to regrow bamboo trees. Avoid wood flooring, as cutting trees is harmful to the environment. The bottom line is buying your home products from homeware and furniture stores that are environmentally conscious.
Our homes have many electrical fixtures and appliances. These electrical fittings can consume lots of energy unnecessarily if you are not careful. Therefore, when it comes to sustainable homes, this is one area you need to address. Consider replacing those old home appliances with five-star energy rating appliances. Also, replace the old high voltage bulbs with LED lights that are energy efficient. This way, you save on energy costs and promote green living.
England generates over 290 tones of waste yearly, according to DEFRA. Dealing with household waste contributes to the problem of landfills and impacts the environment negatively. Therefore, recycling is vital as producing so much domestic waste is unsustainable. Therefore if you want to make your home sustainable, you should consider waste recycling. Always sort your waste before disposing-separate recyclable materials such as plastics, electronics, and metals. As for decomposable waste, you can use it to make compost manure and use it in your garden. By recycling and sorting your waste, you will help reduce the size of landfills. Recycling also saves energy.
