Easy Ideas To Make Your Home More Green |
| Written by Isla Hitchcock | |
| Tuesday, 23 September 2008 | |
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With topics like planetary warming and rapidly reducing fossil fuels and other threats to the environment at the forefront of the news, house owners are opting more and more to do what they can to switch to environmentally-friendly habits. For those of you who haven't joined in or don't know where to start, there are many things the average person can do, starting with the home. The home is one of the simplest and most convenient things you can start with. Making your house eco friendly is a project that will give you a sense of satisfaction as well as a high market value should you decide to sell. Just use some extra time that you have on the weekends to get dirty and work on the house. You can even include the rest of the family. Look into alternate ways to produce electricity. This is one of the more expensive and demanding tips, but you can get a return on your investment. Installing cheap solar panels|Installing a cheap solar panel or windmills will take naturally occuring energy (sunlight, wind) and convert it to electricity. You can then either use the electricity for your house or sell it back to the power company to offset your utilities bill. Placing rain barrels in your yard is an inexpensive and easy way to conserve water that normally runs off the roof and into a storm drain. Simply take a large trash can or other clean plastic barrel, install a water-tight spout near the bottom but high enough to fit a bucket or watering can under, and place the barrel underneath the downspout of the gutter, allowing rain runoff to flow in. The water, while not drinkable, can be used to water plants or wash cars etc. A third idea is to make sure your home is properly insulated and sealed. Make sure your insulation is placed in the best places in the house, especially in the attic since most energy is lost or gained through the roof. Also, ensure all doors and windows have proper seals around their edges. A little caulk or specialized sealant could prevent a large amount of energy loss through those little spaces. Lastly, make sure you are using energy saving light bulbs. Standard incandescent bulbs create a lot of surplus heat and waste energy. At least replace the lights that are used most often with energy saving bulbs and you will once again save energy. Make it a habit to conserve energy and be conscious of those times when you do use energy. Turn off the lights if you leave the room. Don't leave the water running when brushing your teeth. And don't leave the refrigerator door open for a long period of time. Some of these things may not seem like a big deal, but each bit helps, and over several months or years, they will make a difference. Check online or visit your library to learn more. Very soon, you'll be able to feel better about doing your part in protecting the environment.
The Article Author:
Isla Hitchcock enjoys writing about projects relating to the home and family, including subjects as varying as brita water filters and area rug runners.
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