Earth Day is just around the corner, so it’s the perfect time to improve your homes to be more eco-friendly. You can make changes to your daily life by incorporating sustainable designs and appliances. Or, since eco-friendly homes can sometimes be costly or require a lot of effort, you can also follow our strategies for living sustainably overall. With climate change blooming into a larger concern as each year passes, it becomes more crucial for us to do our part to live sustainably, and it can start in our own home.
Eco-friendly Designs/Features
Sustainable or recycled materials
If you have a hand in the construction or renovation of your home, opt for sustainable materials. Reclaimed wood, bamboo, recycled steel, timbercrete, and clay brick are examples of energy-saving materials. In comparison to more harmful choices, they may even have better benefits for insulation, protection, stability, and other factors. Make sure to research the traits of each material to ensure that they meet your needs.
Even when buying new furniture, you can turn to antique marketplaces for refurbished pieces, rather than relying on mass-produced products. Though it may require some work to retrofit them for your home, in the end, they also offer a unique design feature!
Energy-efficient appliances
Keep an eye out for appliances that are Energy Star-certified and WaterSense labeled, as these markings signify they have met standards for energy efficiency and water conservation set by the Environmental Protection Agency. By using energy-efficient refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines, you can reduce electricity usage, which is not only sustainable but cost-efficient as well. Additionally, installing smart appliances improves your energy consumption as they can help maximize energy and water consumption.
Smart home technology
You can also expand smart technology to home systems beyond appliances to conserve energy. In particular, smart thermostats learn your preferences and establish a heating and cooling schedule that saves energy, such as minimizing energy use when the home is unoccupied. Smart lighting systems are also an eco-friendly choice, as they can reduce energy on excess or unneeded lighting in unoccupied spaces.
Low-flow plumbing
Installing low-flow plumbing fixtures like toilets, faucets, and shower heads will help you conserve water by using less water per use. Thanks to aerators, flow restrictors, and dual-flush technology, low-flow fixtures reduce water waste—saving you 700 gallons of water per year, as calculated by the EPA—as well as the strain on your local water resources and your monthly utility bills.
Energy-efficient windows
Windows are an important contributing factor to your home’s insulation and resulting energy consumption. Proper insulation reduces heat transfer, meaning heat is kept in during winter or prevented from entering during summer. This leads to less reliance on heating and cooling systems and reduced energy consumption. In particular, look at double or triple-glazed windows for well-insulated windows you can buy, as well as low-emissivity coatings and weather stripping for features to better insulate windows you already have. While buying new energy-efficient windows may be costly, they are worthwhile investments for saving money in the long term.
Solar panels
Incorporating renewable energy is one of the most effective ways to improve the sustainability of your home. By generating electricity with solar energy, solar panels will lead to reduced dependence on fossil fuels and carbon emissions. They are particularly smart for homeowners in sunnier climates. While the upfront cost of solar panels may be high, they will save you money in the long run by reducing energy consumption.
Rainwater harvesting
By collecting rainwater for household use, you can reduce water consumption and minimize the strain on local water sources, which is especially important in more drought-prone areas. Depending on your needs and commitment level, you can install systems as simple as collecting water in barrels for gardening or as complex as storage tanks or cisterns with gutters and filters.
Geothermal pumps
Geothermal heat pumps tap into stable temperatures below the earth’s surface to provide heating and cooling. They do not require the combustion of fossil fuels and are more energy-efficient than traditional furnaces. Though they would require a significant amount of work to install and cost thousands of dollars, the EPA reports that geothermal pumps can save up to 70% on heating costs and up to 50% on cooling costs. They lead to significant savings, with a payback period of 5 to 7 years since installment.
Green roof
Covered with vegetation, green roofs serve as a natural insulator for your home and reduce reliance on heating and cooling systems. Not only do they contribute to the visual aesthetics of your home, they also help absorb rainwater and improve air quality. Green roofs are particularly smart for urban areas, where they can help mitigate the heat island effect by lowering surrounding temperatures. Make sure to research whether a green roof is smart for your home, as they can be heavier than traditional roofing and require a roof that is either flat or angled no more than 30 degrees.
Passive design
If you are hoping to construct your own home or are looking to buy a new one, passive design is important to consider. Passive design maximizes the use of natural resources based on your climate and landscape to heat, cool, and ventilate a home, rather than relying on mechanical systems. For example:
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South-facing windows to increase direct sunlight during winter or in colder climates
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Trees that lose leaves on the south side of a house, allowing sunlight during winter and blocking it during summer
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Overhang roof to allow sunlight during winter and block it during summer
Using passive design will help decrease dependence on heating, cooling, and lighting systems and overall reduce your energy consumption.
Joris Berthelot, Unsplash
Tips for Sustainable Living
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Conserve energy where you can.
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Use natural light when possible and turn off lights in unoccupied spaces.
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Unplug your devices when not in use.
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Take shorter showers.
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Use cold water when washing your clothes.
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Check for faucet leaks and fix them as soon as possible.
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Manage your waste.
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Avoid disposable, single-use items and opt for recyclable or reusable products instead.
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Reduce your food waste.
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Recycle properly—contaminating your recycling bin with unrecyclable items means all of your recyclables will be sent to landfills or incinerators.
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Grow a garden. Not only does growing your own food reduce your carbon footprint, but it also gives you fresh produce free of chemicals, which is better for your health!
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Use eco-friendly products. Opting for non-toxic cleaning products reduces the harmful chemicals you expose your home and the environment to.
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Shop for sustainable clothing. High-quality clothing made of natural fibers is much greener than fast fashion, which contributes to textile and microplastic waste.
Freebies
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Free Out of State Investing Training: https://www.outofstatemoney.com/
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8 Steps to Buying Out of State: https://www.outofstatemoney.com/long-distance-investing-guide
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The Remote Landlord’s Toolkit: https://www.outofstatemoney.com/remotelandlordtoolkit
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The Creative Financing Playbook: https://www.outofstatemoney.com/creativefinancingplaybook