Maybe the Covid-19 crisis has turned the world around, but it also provides us with an opportunity to shape a more lasting future. Worldwide people are becoming ever more aware of their footprint and their negative impact on the planet. Regardless of how we eat in our food, how we travel, or how we create our living spaces, there is no time to consider the positive steps we are able to take to protect our planet as the present.
When you wonder where to start, it's a good place to make small changes at home. Although not everyone installs or repairs solar panels, there are simple adjustments that can be made to start saving energy and reducing energy
Switch over to thermostats
Turning the thermostat down only a few°C can save an enormous amount of emissions, and many of us leave for a long time in the heating system, including in colder winter months (or in summer when the air conditioner turns up unnecessarily). An intelligent thermostat enables you to automatically adjust the settings and temperature of your house remotely and also has a constant electricity monitor.
Do not forget about water consumption
Water use is one of the number one ways in which we at home waste environmental resources. Enhanced water consumption by implementing low-capacity ventilation devices and tankless heaters and try to switch to a smaller or more effective washer. Naturally, there are plenty of the easiest ways to conserve that can be achieved every day: take a quick shower, take extra running water in your sink to water your garden, and get used to shutting off the pipes or taps when you brush your teeth. Small steps such as these can help to get you to a greener home easily.
Replace with LED lights all over your place
LED lamps are known to be up to 80 percent more energy-efficient than conventional fluorescent and incandescent bulbs, in addition to being toxin-free. LED lamps last up to 10 times longer than traditional lighting by generating very little heat, reducing the number of times you need to adjust your lightbulbs. You can have instant cost savings on your energy bill while enjoying the same lovely bright lighting.
Plan out roof gardens
A perfect way to build a sustainable, eco-friendly effect is to install a rooftop garden at your house, and maybe pick up a new hobby while you're at it. Green roofs are helping to improve air quality and mitigate emissions, and are becoming more and more common around the world in urban destinations. Growing your own plants and vegetables helps to reduce the cost of your monthly food and gives you a green room to chill and hang out, rendering this home sustainability approach a win on both fronts. Don't you have a roof? Considering the construction of an indoor vertical garden as another unique way indoors to go green.
Take your time
Before making any big decorating choices, it's definitely worth staying in your house for a bit. Throughout the day, you will get a feel for the light and how it shifts, as well as how you use space. I know it's tempting to jump into major ventures, particularly if you've inherited decor that you don't really like from previous occupants, but you're going to risk wasting time and money on something that you're going to regret and quickly want to fix if you act on instinct.Â
It's a mistake I made myself: within days of moving into our new home, I painted our living and dining rooms and ended up redoing all of them within a couple of years. I've benefited from the past now and intend not to reappear.
Go for inspiration from trends
Although it's always worth keeping an eye on developments in interior design (you never know when they can have helpful ideas), I don't think anyone should feel pressure to stick to them. Look about what's trending right now, and don't change it if you enjoy something simply because a magazine or blog claims it's not 'in' anymore. A home should be an expression of you and your character, not a representation of the taste of someone else. And who has the time or money now to keep up with ever-changing fashions...?
Select the products that are sustainable
Try choosing natural materials such as bamboo, clay, and cork, whether you're paying a lot of money or very little. Make sure that every piece of wood uses FSC-certified timber, check for energy-efficient LED lighting and eco-friendly paint, and buy textiles made from natural fabrics such as hemp, flax, organic cotton, and wool that have a much smaller effect on the atmosphere than synthetic ones, where possible.
Discard the unwanted products for a spacious feel
When you want to get rid of things, instead of taking them to the landfill, try to donate, throw them away or recycle them. Most charitable stores provide free donation programs, and all over the country there are recycling facilities for everything that is not in decent enough shape to be resold. I've already traded with friends and discarded things, and I love the thought of throwing a 'swap party' full of drinks and nibbles!
Go greenÂ
We still have our beloved detergents and cleaning items that we've been using for years, and we've never really talked about the environmental damage they could cause. They go into the water system until they're flushed down the toilet, and it will also take a lot of effort and hard work to purify the water at the treatment works again.Â
Any basic switches you can make are available. Instead of bleaching and detergent, baking soda, lemon juice or vinegar may both be used to kill bacteria and make homes free of grease and odor.
Another green way to keep homes safe is to turn to steam cleaners as a way to disinfect and destroy germs, with no cleaning chemicals required at all, except for water!
