Going green, becoming eco-friendly, becoming environmentally aware, creating a sustainable living space – these all sound like massive undertakings to the average homemaker. Many believe that to create a green home you need to do a mass overhaul of your current home. This is not quite true. In fact, there are some very simple ways in which you can create a ‘greener’ home.
Going green means cutting costs.
The simple meaning of going green in your home is figuring out how to reduce your consumption of products that negatively impact the environment. Creating a green home should also save you money because you’ll be using less water and electricity. This is money that can then be used for further home renovations or some new furniture.. In today’s economy, any kind of money saving tool should be welcomed. By creating a green home, you will help to save the environment and your back pocket too.
Start slowly and keep a good pace with your ‘going green’ project.
So how to begin? Firstly, don’t allow the idea of going green or the idea of home renovations to overwhelm you. You are not trying to end all environmental crises with your green home initiatives or home renovation plans. You are simply going to become more environmentally responsible and promote that culture in your children and your peers. Don’t place yourself under pressure with crazy timeframes in which you would like everything to be complete. Adopt the idiom of ‘slowly, slowly catch the monkey’ when it comes to this particular project.
Consider your electricity and water usage first and investigate ways in which to curb these expenses.
You could begin by replacing all your artificial lighting with energy-efficient bulbs and maximising the use of natural lighting in your home during the day. Maximise natural light by doing away with curtains and blinds and replacing them with window treatments like vinyl frosting. This will also assist in ridding your home of mould, making for a healthier living space.
You could also consider reducing your water usage; install low flow showerheads in all your bathrooms and design a rain barrel to capture rainfall. The rainwater can be used for a number of different tasks, such as watering the garden or washing your car.
Many homeowners install solar powered geysers in their homes, which are an excellent way to harness renewable solar energy in the home environment.
Purchasing A-grade appliances is a smart move.
Creating a green home doesn’t mean that you need to begin home renovations immediately, as this can be costly. To start saving cash, start making some smart moves that will assist in growing your green home renovations fund.
Consider buying eco-friendly and energy-efficient appliances. The South African Department of Energy has outlined South Africa’s energy efficient standards which are applied to appliances.
Any salesperson in any appliance retail outlet will happily guide you to the more energy-efficient appliances. Essentially, you are looking at a grading (indicated by a sticker) on the appliance. The grading is from A to G and is indicative of the energy efficiency of the appliance. A-grade appliances are the most energy efficient and therefore least damaging to the environment.
When you’re ready to begin your home renovations, consider home renovations that focus on repurposing and upcycling the materials in your home.
When considering the home renovations you would like do, try to steer clear of the local dump and don’t simply throw away old items, fixtures and materials if possible. You can plan home renovations that repurpose and upcycle various items and materials.
For instance, the kitchen is a space in the home that uses a lot of electricity and water, so it makes sense to renovate this area. Install new systems that are green and eco-friendly, but don’t throw out your kitchen cupboards simply because you would like an update. Consider a lick of paint or simply reface them. A new coat of paint (the environmentally friendly kind) and some new handles could be enough to sufficiently update your kitchen. If you do end up with a pile of discarded kitchen cupboard doors, consider turning them into frames, shelves or trays.
All home renovations take time. When renovating your home to meet green standards, start small with a couple of changes and then call your local eco-friendly contractor.
