Have you always wanted to do more to save the earth than recycle? Here are some easy tips for creating an eco-friendly home regardless of how much space you have.
- Don’t throw old paper out too soon. You can print on both sides or use the clean side to take notes or draw.
- Leaky faucets and showers be taken care of straight away. Not only will these leaks increase your utility bills, they can also cause rust or calcium buildup.
- For those of you whose garages double as workshops, make sure you unplug those power tools. If you tend to leave chargers plugged in for the cordless tools, only keep the ones that don’t consume too much energy. If you’ve got old power tools, you can also replace them with newer ones that contain lithium-ion batteries so that you get more power on fewer charges.
- If the weather permits, dry your clothes outside on a line. Sunlight kills germs and removes any strange odors from laundry, giving you nice, crisp clothes and linens.
- If you can do laundry using cold water instead of hot, do so. The same goes for bathing, washing dishes, and washing your hands.
- It’s so easy to do yet not everyone does it; when you leave the room, turn the lights off. Refrain from turning the lights on when it isn’t necessary. If your windows let an adequate amount of light in, use that instead of artificial lighting.
- Outfit your home with containers that can collect rainwater and use it to water your plants your garden. Make sure to use the water immediately after the rain has stopped so that you don’t have a potential breeding ground for mosquitoes.
- Replace older, energy-hungry lightbulbs with Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs (CFLs). Not only will you save money, you will also be responsible for less greenhouse gas emissions.
- Repurpose old containers in the garage to easily organize small items such as screws, nails, and the like. It’ll also give you an easier time to find what you’re looking for because everything will be in plain sight.
- Should you be on the lookout for new appliances, look for models that have the Energy Star label which means that they work more efficiently and consume less power than other models.
- Swap paper towels with rags made out of old towels and clothes. Use reusable cloth napkins at the dinner table, too. The average American uses 55 pounds of tissue per year and because of this, the USA consumes 30% of the world’s paper annually.
- Try growing a small herb or vegetable garden. You’ll get to enjoy fresh (and free) greens and produce while producing more oxygen. You’ll also be assured that your herbs and vegetables are free from any chemicals.
- Turn off all your electronics before going to sleep. If you use an AVR, turn that off. Unplug phone chargers and laptops as well.
If more people made a few small changes, they could make an impact bigger than they could ever imagine. Try any one of the tips mentioned above or come up with one of your own and start living green today.
Jared Weathers is a professional blogger that shares advice on creating a safe and organized environment in your warehouse. He writes for Materials Handling Exchange, a top supplier of pallet racking systems, cantilever racks and warehouse equipment.