Living sustainably and protecting our planet is a cause that we all should work towards. With the effects of climate change becoming more evident every year, it’s clear that living a greener lifestyle is now more important than ever.
How to go green at home is much easier than you think. Being green is means reducing the resources you use, reusing items when you can, recycling items that can’t be reused, and making your overall environment healthier, not only for the planet, but also for your own personal health and well-being.
By doing this, we each do our part in reducing the environmental footprint on our planet and make sure that it will be livable home for generations to come.
How to live sustainably starts by changing personal habits and giving your home a green makeover. There are a lot of little things we can do in our homes can play a part in reducing landfill waste, cleaning the air, and preserving the natural landscape.
The best part of practicing good green habits is nine out of ten times, they’re also the more frugal option. Being environmentally friendly is good economics both in our home and budget, and with the earth.
So today I’m sharing 5 easy ways to get started on how to go green at home and live a more sustainable lifestyle.
More home posts you might like:
- 10 Clever Tips on How to Organize Small Spaces
- 5 Ways to Cozy Up Your Home
- 10 DIY Summer Decor Ideas
- 5 Healthy Habits for Working from Home
How to go Green at Home
& Live More Sustainably
1. Reduce your energy usage
We all know to turn off the lights when we’re not using them. But did you know you can save more energy by switching out your incandescent light bulbs for energy-efficient LED light bulbs. These can last up to 25 times longer and consume 75% less energy!
Another simple tip for how to go green is buying a smart power strip to plug your electronics. Using a smart power strip can drastically reduce your overall energy usage. They’re designed to protect both your devices and your wallet by sensing when a device is in standby mode so they can cut off power and save energy.
A big energy saving tip is getting a programmable/smart installed thermostat for your home. Heating and cooling costs make up the biggest portion on your energy bill, and this simple tool can help to manage the temperature of your home to make your home more energy efficient.
A smart thermostat can allow you to create a temperature schedule, allowing you to minimize AC usage while you’re at work, and have it cooler in the evenings when you’re actually home. This way it uses less energy when you’re when you don’t need it.
2. Switch your cleaning products
Cleaning products are often contain chemicals that can may harm you and the environment. Look for cleaning products that are labeled as eco-friendly, and monitor what cleaners you use around your home.
If you want to save money on green cleaning supplies, you can even make your own cleaning solutions. Simple ingredients such as baking soda, lemon juice, vinegar and soap are very effective cleaners. Best of all, they are inexpensive to make and are harmless to you, your home and your family.
3. Reduce plastic use
Plastic waste makes up 161 millions tons of waste per year and will soon outnumber fish in the ocean. Take a moment to do a headcount of all the single-use plastic items in your home, and switch to something more sustainable.
Ways to go green include ditching plastic bags for recyclable paper or reusable canvas bags, going for soap and shampoo bottles that can be refilled, and buying loose fruit and vegetables.
Plastic Free July is a global movement to that encourages people to choose to refuse single-use plastics for the month of July. They have lots of great tips on how to reduce plastic for cleaner streets, oceans, and beautiful communities.
I’ve personally done the challenge myself, and it was an eye opening experience to see how much plastic we use in our day to day lives. And would highly suggest you try it out too!
4. Go vintage
The simplest way to positively affect the environment with your home decor choices is to buy pre-used or vintage items. Vintage decor is chic and often costs way less than buying new.
Your local thrift store, estate sales or even your grandma’s attic are a great place to search for forgotten treasures. You can also find great options on Craigslist, Ebay and other media sites for antique and vintage finds.
5. Choose sustainably-sourced materials
If you are buying new furniture, decor and items for you home, do a little research and look for companies that are focused on sustainable practices, ethical labor standards, and fair trade.
Mapiful creates customizable artwork that commemorates special occasions such as weddings, births or any life event in a beautiful piece of artwork based on your chosen location and date. They have options like location maps, star maps, zodiac and word art so you can create a personalized piece that’s meaningful to you.
Best of all, Mapiful products are sustainably made with FSC (Forest Steward Council) suppliers, recyclable packaging and non toxic ink.
Above you can see my personal Mapiful artwork that I created for my workspace. It’s a personalized piece with a star map to inspire my creativity and a reminder to continue to chase my dreams.
6. Become a plant parent
Indoor house plants serve both a practical and aesthetic purpose, and can enhance your health as well. They essentially product oxygen and help purify your home from harmful toxins, and of course make your home greener both literally and figuratively.
Extensive research by NASA has revealed that houseplants can remove up to 87 per cent of air toxin in 24 hours. Studies have also proven that indoor plants improve concentration and productivity by up to 15%, reduce stress levels and boosts mood — making them perfect for not just your home but your work space, too.
These 5 simple tips can help you with your quest on how to go green at home, as well as living a more sustainable lifestyle. If you have any of your own tips on how to live a greener lifestyle, please share them below! I’d love to hear them!
Let’s connect on Instagram | Pinterest | Bloglovin‘ | Facebook | Twitter |
makeupmuddle
June 21, 2020I really need to look into more eco-friendly cleaning products. I already have solar panels on my house, and they make such a big difference xo
Makeup Muddle
Eileen
June 25, 2020Solar panels are amazing! That’s a big step towards being greener!
Cheers,
Eileen
Natalya Amour
June 20, 2020Thanks so much for sharing these tips!