There are many small steps you can take in your own home to help save the environment. Although the ecological footprint of each step is tiny, if thousands of people do what you do, these actions can make a difference. As you make small changes to the way you do things around the house, you will gradually bring about some change, even if only on an individual level. You will reduce costs and improve your health at the same time. Saving the planet is an absolutely altruistic exercise and will make you feel better too.
Steps
Method 1 of 6: At Home
Step 1. Turn off electronic devices when you are not using them
About 30% of the electricity used by the television is consumed when it is turned off, so unplug it from the power outlet or buy a multiple electrical outlet; in the latter case, simply turn off the power strip, you will consume much less energy this way.
Step 2. Lower the thermostat a few degrees in the winter
An extra blanket will not only make you feel pampered, it will also help you significantly reduce your electricity or gas bill.
Step 3. Make sure the house is well insulated
Insulation keeps the right level of warm and cool in the right part of the place you live. Consider insulating not only the ceiling, but also the walls and the area under the floors.
Step 4. Use the windows to adjust the temperature
- Close windows and doors tightly to prevent heat loss in winter.
- Open the windows in the summer. The cross breeze will often help keep you cool and blow the stale area out (indoor air is often much more contaminated than outside). Above all, using fresh air, which will be recycled in your home, will save you the costs of using air conditioning.
Step 5. Install ceiling fans instead of air conditioning units to keep rooms cool when it's hot outside
Step 6. Plug the holes
Cracks reduce the energy efficiency of a home. By closing the cracks around the windows and doors, you will increase the possibility of retaining heat and coolness in your home at the right times of the year, allowing the heating and refrigeration systems to work less.
Step 7. Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs)
They last longer and consume a quarter of the energy used by classic light bulbs. Lately, LEDs have also started to make their way, as they are up to 10 times as effective as fluorescent ones; completely discard incandescent bulbs from your options, by the way they are no longer sold.
Step 8. Turn off the lights
Always turn off the switch when you leave a room. Illuminated rooms with no one inside represent a waste of electricity.
Step 9. Buy rechargeable batteries for frequently used devices
Method 2 of 6: In the kitchen
Step 1. Recycle, recycle, recycle
Some municipalities already require their inhabitants to sort out their waste: paper, metals, glass and organic waste. Even if your city doesn't, you can launch a trend and make it grow. Take four different garbage baskets and make sure their contents end up in the appropriate bins for recycling.
Step 2. Air dry the dishes
Turn off the dishwasher before the drying cycle begins. Leave the door slightly ajar (or more open if you have space) and allow the dishes to air dry. The drying cycle of this appliance consumes a lot of energy.
Step 3. Avoid creating junk
Forget about disposable products, such as plates, glasses, handkerchiefs and cutlery. Use reusable wipes and sponges in place of paper rolls and disposable sponges.
Step 4. Update the refrigerator
This appliance is one of the household devices that consume the most, this means that a poorly maintained and high energy consumption refrigerator will make you spend more money, not to mention its ecological impact. Modern refrigerators use 40% less energy than those of 10 years ago. If you decide to change it, make sure that the one you buy has excellent energy efficiency, longevity and durability and that the old one is recycled.
Method 3 of 6: In the Bathroom and in the Laundry Room
Step 1. Prefer the shower to the bathroom, so you will save on water
Don't forget to install an efficient shower head.
Step 2. Use phosphate-free soaps and detergents
Make a mix of water and vinegar to clean the windows. Wash your clothes in cold water to avoid wasting the energy needed to heat it. On hot days, hang your clothes outside instead of using the dryer. They will smell fresher and the sun's rays ensure that germs are successfully eliminated.
Step 3. Install toilets with the least powerful flushing jet in your home, which uses 6 liters per flush instead of 13 liters, reducing water consumption by more than half
Step 4. If you are a woman, you could use cloth tampons and pads (which are reusable) or choose the menstrual cup
The idea may not sound like the best, but think about the amount of tampons and pads that women stack in landfills; what do you say now?
Method 4 of 6: In the Home Office
Step 1. Use recycled paper in your home office, even for printing
Turn over the printed sheets you no longer need and give them to your children for their drawings, or put them on the mobile where you keep your phone to take notes.
Step 2. Turn off your computer every day
While it may seem like it doesn't make much difference, it actually does. You will also reduce the possible risks of overheating and short circuits by turning off PCs at night.
Method 5 of 6: In the Garage
Step 1. Leave the car at home
Not using a car contributes less to pollution, so take it as little as possible. Walk to the shops in town, take public transport to work, or cycle to your friends' homes when they invite you to dinner. Carpool to work with other people instead of letting everyone drive their own car. You will make new friends and share the costs.
Step 2. Buy a low-power machine if you are going to change it
Choose a utility vehicle, not an SUV, which consumes nearly double the amount of gas of a station wagon and can still carry the same amount of passengers.
Step 3. If you've taken your steps to decrease your carbon footprint seriously, you may be living without a car:
not only is it green, it also allows you to save a lot of money!
Step 4. Maintain your bicycle properly
Eliminate at least one of the classic excuses you have not to use it (“It's broken!”), Put it back on track. Keep it well and then use it: it will also help you keep fit.
Step 5. Throw away your DIY items carefully
Old paints, oils, pesticides and so on shouldn't be poured down the sink - the residues end up in our waterways. Get rid of these items by following municipal disposal regulations or opt for the landfill solution if you have no other choice.
Method 6 of 6: In the garden
Step 1. Plant native species
They need less water, are more robust (ergo fewer products are needed to protect them) and attract local wildlife. Furthermore, they are used to the climatic conditions of the place where you live.
Step 2. Plant trees
Trees absorb carbon dioxide and provide shade. In addition, they reduce the temperature of the soil and air. They also offer a home to wildlife and some can guarantee you a bountiful harvest. What other incentives do you need?
Step 3. Reduce the space of the mowed lawn
Another possibility is to remove it entirely. Its maintenance is expensive, the chemicals used to take care of it are dangerous to human health and that of the surrounding flora and fauna, and the lawnmowers are very polluting. Replace it with bushes, ornamental garden structures, flooring for leisure areas, native grasses and climbing plants, etc. Also, what's better than being able to get out of the house and pick a few strawberries or corn on the cob? Increase your eco-friendly footprint by converting the wasted space where you now have the lawn mowed into a vegetable garden. You could use drip irrigation systems or build or buy a rainwater storage tank (it saves you on the water you would have to pay for in order to irrigate the land).
Step 4. Compost
Compost kitchen leftovers for compost to create a beautiful garden, encouraging better plant growth. Make sure the heap is warm and well done. Read a few books about making compost. It is rare to find someone who is truly knowledgeable about it! Remember, the soil lives, it shouldn't dry out or die. Life comes from the earth, and as a result, you need to take care of it. Avoid highly invasive plowing altogether if possible, but be sure to keep the soil ventilated.
Advice
- Turn off the water tap when brushing your teeth. This simple action can save you a lot of water.
- Don't burn the garbage, as this pollutes the air.
- If you cannot understand the usefulness of doing these things, or know someone who does not understand it, watch or show this person films like "An Inconvenient Truth", "Who Killed the Electric Car?" and "Dawn of the day after". This will demonstrate to him the possible catastrophic effects of our current work if we do nothing to save our environment.
- Instead of buying an actual book, borrow it from the library, exchange it with someone or, if you really want to keep it, buy an eBook. Try ecobrain.com to find e-books on training for a green and eco-friendly life.
- Reduce your waste before you even go for recycling! Buy unpackaged products and minimize the use of bags when shopping. Carry a reusable bag with you.
- Measure your ecological footprint online. There are many sites that allow you to do this calculation. Once you've done this, find out how you can take action to reduce your impact on the environment at home.
