6 Tips on How to Achieve An Eco-Friendly House

Everything you do can have a significant impact on the environment. From driving your car to buying material things, you can affect the planet in several ways. That's why it is essential to assess whether you are doing good or harsh to the environment. Choosing what is best for the earth is a vital step to reduce your environmental impact. Aside from the slogan that you often hear, "Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle," there could be better ways to help the planet. Among these is achieving an eco-friendly home.

Different Ways to Achieve An Eco-Friendly House

When you say eco-friendly home, you could be thinking of a house made of sustainable materials. Not only that, but the inside of it is full of environment-friendly furniture. Although achieving this kind of home could be a dream come true for those who love the environment, doing it is quite challenging. Renovating your home and buying new items to innovate its interiors can be challenging and costly. Know that you don't really have to do this because there are eco-friendly tips to achieve it. Among these are the following:

#1 Grow your herbs.

Growing your herbs is both cost-effective and eco-friendly. You can save money since you don't have to buy the herbs and spices you will use for cooking. Consider those you often use in the kitchen such as chives, mint, rosemary, sage, and thyme. Besides providing you food, growing your herbs is a simple way to help the environment because it releases oxygen and consumes carbon dioxide. These indoor plants can also improve the air quality inside your home.

#2 Install solar panels.

Installing solar panels may be costly. However,it is worth investing in because sooner, you'll enjoy less electricity bill. The solar energy coming from the sun will be converted to electricity that you can use at home. Not only can you save money, but it is also another way to achieve an eco-friendly home.

#3 Opt for natural cleaning products.

Using cleaning products has an impact on the environment. The chemicals in these products could end up in waterways, harming the fishes and other sea creatures. Besides, water contaminated by these chemicals takes a long time when it comes to the purification process. To avoid this, you may consider natural cleaning products like baking soda, citric acid, and vinegar. You may refer to the following when making natural cleaning products:

• Anti-bacterial cleaner - Mix 1 litre of hot water, 1/4 cup of white vinegar, 1 tbsp of baking soda, and orange essential oils.
• Room spray- Mix 2 cups of warm water and melissa essential oil.
• Window cleaner - Mix 2 cups of warm water, 1/4 cup of white vinegar, and tea tree oil.

#4 Reduce, reuse, repurpose.

You often hear the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) to decrease the amount of waste that ends up in landfills. But did you know that there is a better way of doing it? Instead of recycling, you may consider repurposing. But what is their difference?

Recycling usually requires specific processes to convert a material to another product. For instance, plastic bottles are melted down to produce plastic chairs. Although the plastic bottles didn't end up in landfills, there is still an impact on the environment. Melting down the plastics requires energy. Besides, this process has contributed to the carbon footprint in the environment.

Unlike recycling, repurposing does not require any processes that might impact the planet. Instead of throwing the product away; you can use it for another purpose. For example, if you have a worn-out pair of leather boots that you can't use anymore, you could be thinking of throwing them away. But instead of putting them in the garbage can, you can use the leather boots as pots for your plants. From being fashionable shoes to pots for plants, the boots have served another purpose.

#5 Save water.

Being eco-friendly does not only refer to responsible energy consumption. You also need to consider water usage. Having access to clean water is indeed a blessing because not all people can enjoy it. That's why it is essential to save water as much as you can. When you do it, you are both saving money from reducing your water bill and protecting the environment. With the responsible use of water, you are keeping it clean and as well as avoiding pollution.

Some tips for conserving water are as follow:

• Fix the leaks in your faucet.
• Install a low-flow showerhead.
• Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth.
• Use a low-flush toilet.
• Use the right amount of water for the laundry.

#6 Use sustainable products.

You can find a lot of products on the market today. Most of them are made of metal, plastic, and wood. Among these three materials, wood is the most sustainable because it is a renewable resource. So if you are buying products, look if there are wood alternatives. For instance, you could buy a wooden watch instead of a timepiece made of metal and plastic. Another tip is to use bamboo kitchen accessories at home.

Achieving an eco-friendly home starts with small decisions. For instance, you can repurpose things instead of throwing things. Not only can you save money from doing it, but you can also reduce your waste at home. Another way is to opt for products made of sustainable materials. This way, you can refrain from buying things made from depleting natural resources. It could be challenging to have an eco-friendly home at the start. But once you get used to choosing eco-friendly options, you will feel fulfilled knowing that you are helping the environment in your simple ways.