5 Ways to Go Green at Home and Why You'd Want To
If you're trying to make your home more environmentally friendly these methods can make a big difference. From changing how you use energy & appliances to recycling your household waste more effectively, here's our top 5 ways on how to go green at home.
1. Use your appliances more efficiently
If you tend to put the dishwasher on before it's full or run half loads in the washing machine you won't only be wasting energy but also water. If you can, try and wait until you have full loads to run appliances and if possible turn down the temperature. This will be especially important if you have solar panels and want to make the most of your solar generated energy.
You could also look to use more energy efficient appliances as they will be able to carry out the same tasks but use less electricity in the process. You might be surprised by just how much energy certain appliances use when they're on standby so it's also a good idea to turn off anything you aren't using at the plug.
2. Save on water usage
Saving on how much water you use around the home is one of the easiest ways to go a little greener. Fitting an eco friendly shower head is one of the most popular methods - not only will your showers use less water but many models claim that you won't even notice any difference in the feel of the shower. You can also fit tap inserts that aerate and reduce the flow of water, meaning you use less for the same jobs.
3. Generate your own energy
One of the best go green ideas to do at home is to generate your own renewable energy. There are plenty of ways to go about this but if you are looking to generate your own electricity or hot water then solar is the best way forward. In fact, Abundance Generation suggests that a solar system on a single British house can save almost a tonne of co2 per year! Still not sure if solar is for you?
Check out our guide to 5 reasons why you should install solar panels to see what else solar has to offer.
4. Insulate your home
Insulation is one of the most effective ways to reduce your home's energy usage and keep it at a comfortable temperature all year round. Any heating you do use will keep your home warmer for longer (meaning you can use less of it). There are plenty of locations in your home where insulation could reduce heat loss including the roof, floors and walls. Alongside these larger scale jobs you could also consider draught proofing your home - windows and doors are a great place to start.
5. Recycle (even more)
Most of us recycle everyday items like aluminium cans and plastic bottles, but there are actually a lot more materials we could be disposing of in a more eco-friendly way. Help tackle the problem of food waste by adding your leftovers to a composting bin in the garden - make sure to check what you are adding is compostable though.
If you have something more obscure to get rid of, for example an old rug, crayons or glasses, check online to see if there are any recycling schemes for these items near you. Not only will you help the environment but these schemes are often charities that turn your old goods into new items for those who can't afford them.
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