6 Ways to make your home greener
by Yellow
Let's face it - the atmosphere's not getting any cleaner. We constantly continue pumping noxious greenhouse gases into the air, in spite of the multiple warnings scientists have been persistent on. We've practically turned the ozone layer into a sieve, and if it completely disappears, then we'd all be in big trouble. It's about time we all do our part. Saving the planet starts at home, and recycling is only the first step to a more environmentally-friendly household. Here's 6 convenient tips on how to make your home greener.
Swap incandescence with clean luminescence
Your filament bulbs have done their time. They produce heat, which wastes a ton of electricity. Since heat does not equal light, all they do is warm up pointlessly and be a burden on the atmosphere. Buy yourself some fancy energy-saving lights to give your home a warm glow while also reducing your carbon footprint.
Cloth vs paper… who wins?
Definitely cloth. Using cloths to clean your counters and furniture-tops significantly reduces the amount of waste you would produce if you were using paper towels instead. It is the basic principle of reusing in its prime.
Bonus tip:This method also gives you way less paper cuts. As we see it, it's a win-win.
Whip up some compost
Use your nasty food leftovers for some good. Throw them into a bin, along with some dried-up leaves, shredded newspaper, wood chips and some moisture. Continue adding more to your mixture over the next months, and you'll have the perfect compost in no time. Once used, compost helps the environment by helping soil retain water, keeps less food matter from ending up in a landfill, and minimises the need for chemical fertilisers.
Get down and dirty with toxic cleaners
Britney might have been singing about cleaning products all this time. The level of toxicity in certain cleaners dramatically damages the ozone layer, contributes to smog, reduces the quality of drinking water, and is also harmful to your furry friends. The best way to go is to use organic cleaning products instead. They are more environmentally friendly, smell better and are far cheaper.
Grow green fingers
Take your home décor up one, or several, notches by adding some plants to your home. Apart from pleasing the eye, plants increase ventilation in the house if taken care of properly. Through the process of photosynthesis, plants break down carbon dioxide (a harmful gas) into oxygen, giving you fresh air for days.
Wasting water is a big no-no
We should never take water for granted, so we need to give it due attention. Wasting this vital resource reduces freshwater for agriculture, and also wastes excessive energy through the filtration process of seawater. Conserve water as much as possible by not leaving the tap running, saving up dirty clothes and by taking quicker showers.
Make your home even greener by installing solar panels and solar water heaters! Look out for the 12 Energy Saving Product sellers on Yellow for the best advice on how to do so.
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