10 Easy Green Home Tips
1. Clean Green – Making a switch from traditional household cleaners to more green products reduces air pollution indoors and out. Also, many green cleaning products have been proven to reduce chemicals that can be harmful to your health, as well as allergy and asthma triggers.
TIP: When replacing household cleaners, look for plant-based products.
2. Leave Your Shoes At The Door – Taking off your shoes at the front door is much like washing your hands. Not only will you prevent outside gunk like pesticides, dirt and that questionable thing you stepped in from being tracked throughout your green home, you’ll have less to clean.
TIP: Add a bench with storage by your front door, so folks will have a place to sit and store their shoes.
3. Try Meatless Mondays – Livestock produces a great amount of greenhouse gases – an occurrence that promotes global warming. Eliminating meat one day a week may not seem like a big deal, but for a family of four, it can have the same positive impact as driving a hybrid vehicle instead of a traditional vehicle.
TIP: One of our favorite websites for vegetarian recipes is Cooking Light. Who knew living in a green home could be so yummy!
4. Buy Sustainably-Raised Meat – Sustainably raised animals are treated humanely, meaning they are given ample room to roam and carry out natural behaviors. In addition the animals are not generally treated with hormones and antibiotics, which can be passed on to you.
TIP: Look for labels displaying free-range, organic, no hormones and/or no antibiotics.
5. Dress Your Windows – Consider adding blinds or shades with a blackout feature to block the sun in summer and retain heat in your home during winter.
TIP: Check for air leakage around your home with this guide from the Energy.gov: Detecting Air Leaks
6. Microwave Food In Glass – Generally when food is wrapped in plastic or placed in a plastic container and microwaved, substances used in manufacturing the plastic (plasticizers) may leak into the food. Avoid this by using glass containers only. If you must use plastic, make sure it says “Microwave Safe”.
TIP: Most takeout food containers are not microwave-safe.
7. Reduce Your Electric Use – An impactful way to reduce your carbon footprint —the amount of greenhouse gases and specifically carbon dioxide emitted —is to lower the amount of electricity you use.
TIP: Read 10 Easy Ways To Lower Your Electric Bill
8. Choose Safe Cookware – The items you cook with can have a negative impact on the safety of your food. Stainless steel, cast iron and enamel coated cast iron are the three safest options. Nonstick cookware at very high temperatures can break down the nonstick coating, emitting fumes that can kill pet birds and possibly cause flu-like symptoms in humans.
TIP: Make sure your kitchen is properly ventilated to minimize exposure to chemicals that might be released by nonstick cookware. As soon as the nonstick surface begins to flake, dispose of the item.
9. Opt For Essential Oils – Products with fragrance can contain chemicals that disrupt hormones and can harm the ecosystem if they are washed down the drain. Instead, opt for products with essential oils, which are plant-based.
TIP: To help keep your green home smelling wonderful, consider a fragrant plant like rosemary, lavender, gardenia or jasmine. Also, a batch of fresh baked cookies not only taste good, but make your home smell scrumptious!
10. Go Easy With Pesticides – To keep unwanted pests away, prevention is key. Keep areas that might attract pests clean. Fill areas like holes in walls or cracks in the foundation where pests might hide or enter your home . If you need to pull out the big guns, opt for pest control products that are environmentally-friendly.
TIP: Check out 18 Tips For Super Green Pest Control.
Remember, you can implement all or some of the items on this list in order to have a more green home. Every effort makes a difference.
