Going green can seem like a massive challenge. If you want to be more environmentally-friendly, you don’t have to trade in your car for an electric model or give up on air travel forever. You can start with small changes at home.
1. Put More Plants Indoors
Sometimes you need to take the message “going green” literally. Try to put a potted plant in every room that has access to natural light. Options like snake plants and spider plants act as natural air purifiers that can clear out toxins and increase oxygen levels indoors. Why spray a cloud of artificial air freshener when you could put a leafy plant on the countertop?
2. Put More Plants Outdoors, Too
They don’t call it being a “green” thumb for nothing! If you want to make your home a little greener, plant bulbs in the garden plot as soon as possible so that it’s full of fresh flowers in the spring. Or if you don’t want to wait for the growing season, you can buy planters of Japanese Yew or English Boxwood. These plants are hardy enough to survive the cold weather.
3. Change Your Light Bulbs
One of the easiest ways to go green is to replace your incandescent light bulbs. The best lighting alternatives that you can get are light-emitting diode bulbs because they cut down on energy, shrink your carbon footprint and last much longer than standard incandescent bulbs.
4. Upgrade Your Thermostat
Upgrading your old thermostat to a smart thermostat can stop you from wasting so much energy. Since a smart thermostat monitors your energy use and your temperature settings, you will be completely aware of when you consume too much. It empowers you to consciously cut back on your consumption.
5. Fix That Leak
A small leak can waste a lot of water over time. For instance, a faucet that drips five times in a minute will waste almost 3 litres of water in a day and over 80 litres in a month. If you spot a leaky fixture, you should contact a company like Reliance to do the repairs right away. They can stop those annoying drips and help you conserve water in a single appointment.
In some cases, a simple repair won’t be enough. An old, worn-down plumbing fixture will need to be replaced if you want to avoid any more leaks. A plumbing service provider like Reliance Home Comfort, can replace leaky faucets and help with other plumbing related problems.
6. Go for Low-Flow
If you have a leaky bathroom fixture, consider replacing it with a low-flow model. The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation recommends this renovation because the bathroom accounts for 75% of a household’s water consumption — upgrading to low-flow showerheads, faucets and toilets could make a huge difference.
Going green doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Just start small. All of your tiny changes will add up over time. You’ll soon find that you’ve significantly cut down on energy waste and reduced your carbon footprint. You can make a big difference, one step at a time.