Energy is the main contributor to climate change; it produces around 60 percent of greenhouse gases, according to the United Nations Development Programme. Adopting more efficient energy solutions will not only help protect our precious continent, but it will also ensure you, your family, and future generations live a healthier life.
Unfortunately, most people assume that pursuing sustainable practices at home is just too expensive to afford. However, there are many affordable changes you can make around your home that will make green living easier and cheaper than you think. Here are some sustainable home improvement solutions that will save you money in the long run.
Install a Smart Thermostat
Almost half of your energy bill is taken up by heating and cooling costs. If you are wondering what you can do about this, there’s a solution. Apart from shopping for a better energy plan at a place like EnergyBot Guide, consider buying a smart thermostat. This is a device that you can integrate into your house to control your home’s heating and air conditioning.
It’s connected to the internet, allowing the user to remotely monitor and adjust their home’s heating or cooling settings through a PC or smartphone. There are many smart thermostat models available in the market today, and each has unique features and controls that you can use to automate your heating and cooling system.
Use Motion Sensor Light Switches
It’s easy to forget to switch off the lights when you leave a room, and sometimes you end up leaving the lights on when going to work. This leads to wastage and high energy bills. According to the U.S Department of Energy, a motion sensor switch can cut your wasted electricity for lighting by 30%. This device automatically turns the lights on when you enter a room and off when you leave. Some even have a feature which enables you to dim the light to your desired level.
Use Energy Star Appliances
Old appliances are not only stubborn to work with, but they also bleed you dry financially due to their high energy consumption rate. Energy star appliances are built to ensure they are highly-energy efficient and are certified independently. Phasing out your old appliances and adopting efficient models will help you save energy throughout your home, cut your bills, and protect the climate.
Develop Green Laundry Habits
Modern washing machines and dryers allow us to clean and dry our clothes in less than an hour. This convenience comes at a cost to our environment and our bills. For a more mindful laundry process, machine wash your clothes in cold water to save the energy spent on heating it, run full loads, and consider indoor or outdoor air drying.
Install Water-Efficient Fixtures
Conserving water at home can lead to significant savings since a lot of energy is used to transport, deliver, treat, and remove water from a building. Apart from fixing leaky pipes, you should go a step further and upgrade to efficient fixtures. Install low-flow showerheads, use faucet flow aerators to reduce the flow rate, and get the highly-efficient gallon flush toilets.
Use a Pressure Cooker
If you are looking for an efficient way of cooking, consider a modern pressure cooker. It is an eco-friendly kitchen equipment that saves up to 70% of the time you use to cook a meal. Modern models are sturdy, safe, and more versatile. Adding it to your kitchenware can go a long way to saving you money.
Wrapping Up
Our environment is in dire shape, and it’s high time we adopt green living and reduce our carbon footprint at home. Although the upfront costs may seem high, in the long-term, you will get to make substantial savings in energy costs. If you are looking for approachable and sustainable ideas, explore the ones above.