11 Ways to Make Your House Greener
Updated: Feb. 06, 2023Being intentionally eco-wise is just as good for your health and bank account as it is for Mother Nature.
Try Solar
Incorporating solar into your home is a great way to make your home greener by reducing your carbon footprint and completely slashing your utility bill. Photovoltaic solar panels are getting cheaper and more efficient, so consider the switch!
Make a Rain Garden
To protect the environment, as well as keep the land in your yard lush and lively, you can create a rain garden. This DIY project works to channel the rain water and runoff from gutters into a sweet space rooted deeply into the earth, and flourishing with native plants.
Here’s everything you need to know about building a rain garden.
Start a Compost Pile
There are so many incredible benefits of composting, including enriching soil, helping retain moisture and suppressing plant diseases and pests, and reducing the need for chemical fertilizers. Your produce scraps and yard waste will create a soil perfect for helping your vegetable garden and flowers grow greener too!
Reuse and Recycle
How many things in your house do you use once and throw away? Whether it’s the paper bag from the grocery store, or the broken chair in your living room, you don’t have to throw it in the dumpster just because it’s taking up space. Be sure to recycle that paper bag! And try repairing that broken chair first, because DIY is fun, creative and green!
Select Environmentally-Friendly Paint
While fresh paint may either smell really pleasing or really toxic to you, it’s best to choose low- or zero-VOC paint to improve the air quality of your home. That serious stench is volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that vaporize into the air and can cause long-term adverse health effects.
Check out these safe and healthy spray painting tips..
Choose Native Plants
By adding native plants and trees to your landscape, you allow less water to be used for irrigation. While this means less maintenance, it also means less use of nature’s resources! In areas with droughts, that’s a BIG deal. Plus, native plants typically don’t need fertilizers or pesticides. Furthermore, the local wildlife and insects reap the benefits of your naturally greener yard.
Incorporating native plants are a great alternative to grass lawns.
Choose Evironmentally-Friendly Furniture
Opting for furniture that makes a difference, whether it’s upcycled or made of earth-friendly materials, means you get to enjoy it guilt free, while your health can reap the benefits. There are so many furniture brands out there that seek to provide customer- and environment-safe products.
You can also DIY to really make sure you know what’s in your home! Just be sure before cleaning you check out how to use natural cleaners when cleaning furniture.
Add Window Treatments
Curtains and blinds not only allow you some privacy, as well as keep the light out when it’s shining in your eyes or you need a nap on the couch, but they also help save energy! To ensure you get the right kind, be sure you look for the ones that specifically prevent heat loss in the winter and deflect the suns rays to keep your home cooler in the summer.
Replace Your Old Air Conditioner
Did you know replacing a 10-year-old window or central AC unit with an Energy Star model can cut your cooling costs by 30 to 50 percent? Your wallet and the environment will be happy you made this greener purchase. If you’re planning to replace it, you must check out this environmentally sustainable moss air conditioner.
Install Smarter Appliances
Technology has come a long way, making for greener ways to enjoy your home and save some dough. From smart ACs to the Nest Thermostat, and motion sensors that turn lights on and off, there are plenty of ways to keep the cost down and the environment friendly!
Check out these 14 Cool Tech Gadgets That Turn Your Home into a Smart House.
Use Eco-friendly Alternatives to Plastic Bags
There’s just something super convenient about opting for plastic bags at the grocery store. Is it because they’re lightweight? Is it because they have handles for easy carrying? Unfortunately, your convenience is a nuisance to the environment and wildlife. opt for greener reusable cloth bags and your home won’t be littered with plastic bags.
There are so many amazing alternatives, just check out this list!
Up next, check out these green home products to keep your home less toxic and more eco-friendly.