Sustainability is often wrongly used interchangeably with energy consumption, but in reality, it is a green lifestyle choice. Contrary to what people believe, in order to lead a completely sustainable lifestyle, one must also practice a holistic approach to create a healthy body and mind.
It is possible to turn any home into an eco-friendly environment, and below, you will find six ways to achieve optimum sustainability.
1. Designing for Sustainability
If you’re looking to have a home newly built, it is crucial to consider different aspects of sustainability. A proper green home requires adequate ventilation, insulation and should make use of natural lighting whenever possible.
Particular attention should be paid to your boiler Corgi Home Plan boiler care will mean that your home is always heated efficiently. Whenever updating an existing home or designing a new one, it is possible to introduce sustainable elements such as a courtyard, vertical green walls, roof gardens, and a small water source.
Introducing these small changes can help regulate indoor temperatures by lowering them anywhere from two to three degrees. Additionally, these changes can help eliminate an overdependence on electronics and lower your carbon footprint naturally.
2. Use Natural Cleaning Products
One of the biggest problems with using chemical based cleaning products isn’t just the fact that they’re bad for your health, but they get reintroduced into our water supply.
That means your water must go through an intense purification process in order to become safe for residential use again. Unfortunately, there are circumstances where these chemicals also leech into our environment and destroy natural habitats.
From skin irritation to physical burns, modern cleaning chemicals are detrimental to your health. Opting to use green cleaners means lowering the toxic waste you subject your body to while ensuring that our environment isn’t forced to take the brunt of the toxicity.
3. Create Your Own Compost
Using fertilizers with chemicals can cause the vegetation in your yard to burn, wither, and die. In many instances, commercially available fertilizers also cause the ground to become more acidic and depletes it of much needed minerals. These chemicals are responsible for making humans and animals both sick by contaminating our environment.
Only by creating your own organic compost and opting for something more natural can you take a giant leap towards sustainability.
Compost based fertilizers are able to restore nutrients to the earth while improving the airflow. Additionally, composted fertilizers also ensure that less water is necessary for the vegetation to thrive.
To create a fertilizer that has a lower carbon footprint, you can employ the use of dry leaves, cut grass, and organic kitchen food waste. This organic fertilizer will repair the nutrients in the earth while also offering you the ability to create a sustainable vegetable garden you can harvest food from.
4. Employ The Use Of Recycled Products
The act of recycling is able to help lower energy consumption while reducing air and water pollution respectively. As we need to dispose of fewer products, greenhouse gas emissions are significantly lowered. Recycling isn’t the only way to live sustainably!
Refinishing old furnishings or upcycling vintage decor can help you make use of existing products you already own. Next time you want to throw dated decor or furniture away, why not look at it in a different light?
5. Harvesting Rainwater
Harvesting rainwater refers to the act of collecting rainwater during times of heavy rainfall in order to have access to a water supply when it’s more scarce. Sustainable homes are especially dependent upon rainwater harvesting.
However, it is crucial to note that you should never use rainwater without properly purifying it first.
6. Solar Panel Installation
Almost all eco-friendly homes have one thing in common: solar panels. Solar panels aren’t just a great source of renewable energy, but they can save you money on your utility bills. This makes solar panels a great long-term investment when considering a sustainable lifestyle.