Sustainability has quickly risen in popularity in the past decade. First coined during the Industrial Revolution to describe the delicate balance between manufacturing businesses and the environment, sustainability now transcends the business field and has become applicable to other aspects of society, especially homes.
A greener and more sustainable home presents several benefits:
- A more sustainable home incorporates more efficient features, improving life quality.
- It provides financial benefits by lowering utility costs in the long run and raising the house’s market value.
- A more sustainable home enables the responsible and efficient use of natural resources, reducing any negative environmental impact.
In this post, discover seven eco-friendly projects to kickstart your journey to a greener and more sustainable home.
Switch to LED Lighting
Switching out your incandescent bulbs for LED ones is one of the easiest projects to move toward a more sustainable home. LED bulbs shine brighter than their incandescent counterparts while using 75% less energy, reducing your home’s electric consumption and the carbon footprint of each bulb. LED bulbs are also more economical—they can last up to 25 times longer, so you don’t have to replace them as often as incandescent ones.
If you want to take sustainability in your lighting a step further, consider installing a smart lighting system. With a smart lighting system, you can turn your lights off through your phone in case you forget to do so before leaving the house. You can also incorporate motion-sensing devices into the system, automatically turning the lights on or off when you enter or exit a room. A smart lighting system also allows you to customize the brightness of each room depending on your usage, which helps you allocate energy more efficiently.
Invest in Energy-Efficient Appliances
When buying your home’s appliances, choose energy-efficient models. These appliances deliver the same functionality while using less energy. In buying appliances, look for the Energy Star® label, which certifies that the model operates with high energy efficiency and reduced carbon emissions since it uses less energy produced from fossil fuel plants.
Once you have your energy-efficient appliances, make sure to maintain them properly. Proper maintenance is a simple but often overlooked tip to ensure their sustainability. Taking care of your devices ensures they perform at their best and helps maximize their service life, giving you the best value for your money.
Harness the Sun’s Energy
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Improve your energy self-sufficiency and reduce dependence on the electric grid by harnessing the sun’s energy. One way to do so is to install solar panels at home. Solar panel systems capture sunlight and convert it to electricity that you can use to power the devices in your home. Depending on the available space, you can install these solar panels on the rooftop or ground mounts.
Another way to harness the sun’s energy is by creating a passive heating system. A passive heating system utilizes sunlight to adjust the temperature in your home. Window size, placement, and orientation are some factors that impact the efficiency of passive heating systems.
Upgrade Your Plumbing Fixtures
Conserve water in your home by installing eco-friendly plumbing fixtures, such as low-flow showerheads, faucets, and toilets. The low-flow variants of these plumbing fixtures use less water to perform their intended purpose, saving water by 30%.
Aside from upgrading plumbing fixtures, regularly check your existing lines for leaks. In the United States, households waste approximately 900 billion gallons of water annually. Periodic inspections and regular plumbing maintenance can go a long way in preventing leaks and helping you save money on water bills.
Additionally, you can cultivate other water-saving habits in your and your family’s daily routine, such as running the dishwasher or washing machine only when the load is full or reducing shower time.
Harvest Rainwater
Rainwater harvesting involves collecting rainwater for use in the household. It can help improve your home’s water security and reduce water bills by providing an alternative water source. Use the harvested rainwater to flush toilets and wash cars. It is suitable for watering plants since it does not contain any chlorine.
A rainwater catchment system also helps the environment by preventing floods in the surrounding area and reducing storm runoff that can otherwise pollute water bodies by picking up chemicals, fertilizers, and other pollutants.
If you are new to rainwater harvesting, you can start with a small system using pipes and some barrels. The pipelines will serve as downspouts to transport the water collected in the gutter to the water storage, such as the barrels.
Start a Beehive
Photo by Timothy Paule II from Pexels
Try beekeeping if you’re looking for an eco-friendly project that can double as a hobby. Since bees are natural pollinators, raising bees in your backyard can enrich the biodiversity in the area. Bees can also provide you with valuable products that you can consume or sell, such as beeswax and honey.
Before starting, learn and research beekeeping basics. You can approach your local beekeeping association for training and shadowing opportunities. You can also request guidance on identifying the type of bees and beehives to match your skill level.
Canvass bee and beekeeping equipment suppliers in your locality to prepare adequately beforehand. Beekeeping can be challenging for beginners, but it is also rewarding when done right.
Try Composting
One excellent way to reduce waste generation is through composting, which uses organic waste, such as food waste and leaves, to create compost for your garden. Home composting benefits the environment by enriching your soil, keeping your plants happy, and reducing the amount of organic material that reaches the landfill.
There are several composting methods available. You can select the one that best fits your space and the type of waste you generate. Here are some of the ways:
- Anaerobic composting. Anaerobic composting starts by placing a compost mix in an airtight container, such as a bin or a garbage bag. It is the easiest composting method due to its low maintenance.
- Aerobic composting. Aerobic composting uses oxygen to nurture the microbes in your compost pile. You can incorporate oxygen into the compost mixture by turning it twice a week.
- Vermicomposting. Vermicomposting uses worms to create compost. It can produce more nutritious compost, but maintenance can cost more than the other composting methods.
Conclusion
Incorporating sustainability in your home benefits not only the environment but also improves your quality of life in a variety of ways. These sustainable projects can promote energy and water conservation, reduce utility bills, and improve self-sufficiency. For more sustainability practices, check out this resource.
Featured image credit: Photo from Centre for Ageing Better on Pexels
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