Going green is a trend that is sweeping the world. More and more people are becoming aware of the importance of sustainability and the environmental impact that actions and purchases have on Mother Earth. If the idea of becoming eco-friendly has piqued your interest then you may know that some eco-friendly practices can be a little pricey.
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Sure, a lot of people would love to pay a bit more for products if it means helping out the world but sometimes it just can’t be the case. When it comes to transforming and upgrading a house into a sustainable home, the idea of it sounds like it would be expensive. However, it doesn’t have to be thanks to creativity. These are some of the most eco-friendly upgrades that you can make for your home.
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Use what you already have
Just because you want to become environmentally friendly doesn’t mean you need to throw out every single plastic container in your home and swap it for stainless steel. This thought is a part of greenwashing to get you to buy more products. You’ll save on resources and money by using what you have already and keeping purchases to a minimum. If one of your appliances, such as a washing machine has broken, then it’s best to search online appliance spares rather than just buying a whole new appliance. Sometimes the smallest of fixes can make your stuff work as good as new.
Have an energy audit
Sometimes your energy company or even municipality will have services so households can get a professional assessment of their energy use. Professional auditors will do a series of tests to see whether or not the doors are airtight if the windows are sealed, and drafts are coming in. This can even include looking at the insulation of the home as well. Audits can be a bit expensive and can vary in price but the long-run savings can be huge, as much as saving 30% of your energy cost a year! There are government subsidies as well that you can look into to see if you can get a discount.
Don’t demolish
Is your new home all you hope it would be? If not, then one of the beauties of owning a home is getting to transform it any way that you’d like. One thing to think about when it comes to having an eco-friendly home is the fact that you don’t want to demolish things such as the walls. If it isn’t broken, then don’t fix it! Instead, try to look for other ways to make the house look different such as the flooring, moldings, cabinets, and the color of the walls.
Search around for free materials
Getting to save materials from ending up in a landfill is wonderful! You get to have the chance to give items a second life and you have more materials for transforming your home. There are plenty of websites and apps that you can use to find cheap material such as Facebook Marketplace, Gum Tree, and even just asking around for free materials is an option too.
