With extreme and unpredictable weather catastrophes on the rise, people are becoming increasingly eager to do what they can to adopt a more eco friendly lifestyle and reduce their impact on the environment and the climate. The good news is that there are plenty of great changes you can make in your every day life to make a difference. Over the last few years, we’ve all heard about changing to energy efficient light bulbs and using re-usable grocery bags, but there are many other overlooked ways to going green right in your home.
Conserving Energy in the Home
- Energy has become a precious commodity. Every effort should be made to reduce the amount of energy used in the home. Some ways to accomplish this include:
- Washing your clothes in cold water and hanging them to dry whenever possible. Majority of the energy consumed by washers and dryers is used heating water or drying clothing. If your clothing can be cleaned adequately in cold water, choose this option.
- Don’t just turn off appliances; unplug them. Many appliances and electronics are still pulling energy even when they are powered off. This energy is used to put the device in something of a “stand-by” mode. Either unplug items, such as chargers, that are not in use or plug them into a power strip that can conserve energy.
- Stay a little warmer in the summer and cooler in the winter. Keeping your thermostat a few degrees warmer or colder will not affect you very much, but will have a significant effect on your household energy consumption.
Purchase Wisely
- Buy in bulk. By buying items that are in large bulk containers, you can cut down on the amount of packaging discarded by your home and you can cut back on the number of trips you make to the store.
- Choose locally produced foods and products. Locally supplied foods require less fuel to make it to your home. Local organic foods also taste better, are healthier, and support local farmers. Visit Grow NYC for a listing of farmers market in your neighborhood.
- Eat less meat. Meat products have a much higher cost and impact on the environment to produce.
- Choose all natural products. Whenever possible, choose products that are made from organic and natural ingredients, free from chemicals that are going to harm humans or the environment when they are used or discarded.
- Borrow and reuse. Only purchase new items when absolutely necessary. You can share or trade items with your friends and family. Borrow books and films instead of purchasing your own copies that you will likely never use again.
Using Organic Cleaning Services
A lot of the negative impact our homes have on the environment comes as a result of how they are maintained. By hiring a maid cleaning service that uses environmentally friendly practices, your home can benefit from professionals who know cleaning techniques that will:
- Reduce the amount of energy and water consumed to clean your home.
- Reduce the amount of waste leaving your home.
- Utilize all natural green products to cleaning your home that are safe and healthy for you and for the environment.