It’s going to take action from almost everyone at all levels of society to preserve the environment for future generations. This includes action from people other than politicians and business owners. Homeowners also have an important role to play. Thankfully, lowering your household’s carbon footprint is probably easier than you may first assume. Below are just a few eco-friendly changes you can institute in your home.
Switch to Low Flow Water Fixtures
One way to be more eco-friendly is to decrease the amount of water your home wastes. This is especially the case in regions of the country that routinely experience water shortages like the southwest. One solution is to invest in water fixtures such as toilets, showerheads, faucets, and more that are designed to use less water. These are often labeled as being “low flow” fixtures. However, don’t believe every claim. According to the government’s Energy Star website, you should look for products labeled as “WaterSense” that have been tested to prove they use 20 percent less water without a tradeoff in performance.
Swap Out Your Old Light Bulbs
Something else that puts a significant strain on the environment is all the resources that must be expended to provide homes with electricity. If you want to lessen your dependence on the local power grid, one easy change you can make is to replace your old incandescent light bulbs with newer and more energy-efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs or CFLs for short. These bulbs don’t run as hot as incandescent light bulbs. As a result, they require less electricity to operate. They also last a lot longer as well. Better yet, they are compatible with any light fixture that uses incandescent bulbs. Replacing them is rather simple.
Install Solar Panels on Your Roof
You may also want to make a firmer commitment to lowering your dependence on the local power grid. The best way to do this is through the installation of solar panels on your roof. Unlike the solar panels of the past, today’s solar panels are much more efficient at producing electricity and can be bought at a fraction of the price of older models. Investigate the options available from a local dealer. If you live in New Mexico, you may be able to find an Albuquerque commercial solar company that can provide you with a custom solution for your home’s specific needs. If you do make this investment, you will see a huge decrease in your yearly electricity bills as a result.
Program Your Thermostat
Many people simply manually change the temperature setting on their thermostat up and down. Far fewer people actually program it. However, if you do program your thermostat, you can make your home much more eco-friendly by running your air conditioning and heating only when it’s truly needed. If no one is home during the day, for example, your home only needs to be warm enough to stop your pipes from freezing. Your home can also be cooler at night when you’re sleeping. If your thermostat still gives you trouble, consider investing in a smart thermostat that will be far easier to program.
Start a Compost Pile and Garden
To make your home more eco-friendly, you should also be considering different ways to reduce the amount of garbage you send out each week. One thing you may not have considered recycling is food waste. While food waste cannot be placed in a recycling bin, it can be added to a compost pile. Start your own compost pile behind your house. You can then later use that compost to fertilize your garden. Using food waste to grow new food is an excellent choice for decreasing your impact on the environment and increasing your own independence from different systems that create waste and pollution. If you grow your own tomatoes, for example, fewer tomatoes have to be shipped across the country by truck.
Use these and other changes to decrease your household’s impact on the environment. You will find that becoming more eco-friendly is really much easier than you first assumed. You are also likely to benefit in other ways as well since living a more eco-conscious lifestyle also tends to mean living a more thrifty lifestyle as well. You could end up saving a lot of money.
