Climate changes, sustainability, and source segregation of waste have become everyday mantras throughout the world. The onus of conserving ecology is on everyone. Baby steps taken by us to address these issues are crucial for the future of our planet. We all can begin to lead a green and sustainable lifestyle by resorting to eco-friendly home maintenance ideas.
Follow these strategies for creating and maintaining sustainable homes. Initially, the idea can be overwhelming but we can begin small and keep building our ideas and take bigger strides to build an eco-friendly, energy-efficient home. We need a holistic approach to this problem. Therefore, think of taking baby steps to embrace sustainability. It is not just a concept but actually a way of life or living. When you want to resort to a sustainable lifestyle, you should opt for one that supports a healthy body and mind. Many think that eco-friendly homes are all about conserving energy. It is actually more than that. Let us now discuss the various ways by which we can create sustainable homes.
We need to plan and design homes that will suit our lifestyle and at the same time not harm the planet. Most homes in the city, which are just concrete jungles, lack good air and light. Firstly, we should ensure that there is plenty of natural light in the house. For this, you need to incorporate a courtyard or terrace or a roof garden in the floor plan. This will have a direct effect on the amount of sunlight hitting the home and in turn, bring down the temperature (by at least 2 or 3 degrees) of the entire building. Actually, this system produces the effect of a micro-climate. This is one of the suggestive sustainable practices that will impact the carbon footprints in the world and also make an eco-friendly home.
The aspect of ventilation is imminent if you want to turn your home eco-friendly. The entrance of your home should straight point to another doorway or a window. In other words, light or air that enters a home must be able to circulate well and leave through another opening. This kind of arrangement will not only ensure good lighting but also good health. Allergies and Asthma are affecting every third person mainly because their homes are devoid of cross ventilation.
Glass windows & solar panels
Try to incorporate smart wide glass windows in the home plan to let in more air and light. This will help to cut down on your electricity bills. These can also be called high-performance windows which will turn a home eco-friendly. Also, with solar panels installed on roofs, you can depend less on non-renewable energy sources and shrink your carbon footprint. The number of panels you will need is proportionate to the size of the home and the amount of electricity you consume for your everyday needs. The biggest benefit of using solar panels for a home is that it produces no carbon emissions and does not use any fossils to operate. All the energy needed to power the panels is absorbed by the Sun, an abundant resource. Switch to Solar; Shrink Carbon footprint
We are all mostly used to building homes or apartments using brick and mortar. Mining of river sand, continuous felling of trees for timber and many other activities to meet the needs of Realty has devastated nature. For a better and sustainable world, we need to have green buildings or green materials. Let us explore some of the eco-friendly materials.
1. Bamboo is one such green material that can be used to build eco-friendly homes. It can self-generate (grows at a rate of 3 feet in 24 hours).
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2. Precast concrete slabs: These concrete slabs have higher sustainability than other traditional concrete options. Production and assembling of the slabs require very less energy. Therefore they are very suitable to build eco-friendly homes. They can withstand the vagaries of weather and are easy to handle. They can be easily shipped in large quantities to the construction site. These slabs with high sustainability (do not need much energy for production) have hollow air spaces and are used to build walls, floors and even flat roofs.
3. Cork: After bamboo, another material that is obtained from trees is cork (which is tree bark). It is very useful to build eco-friendly homes with it because it grows back quickly and has the following advantages.
These characteristics make it a good material for making floor tiles.
4. Straw bales: Another green material that can be obtained from nature is straw bales. It is a sound-proof material with good insulation properties. As it is fire-resistant, it can be used to fill columns on beams. It can be harvested and replanted easily. These two materials – straw bales and cork are very useful in the construction of eco-friendly homes.
5. Recycled plastic: The dreaded plastic can have a new avatar if it is ground up with trash to produce concrete. It reduces greenhouse gas emissions and can find its way into homes to turn them eco-friendly. Virgin plastic can be blended with recycled plastic to make polymeric timbers to make fences and other structures. Plastic can also be spun into fibres to make carpets, cable pipes, roofs, floors, and PVC materials.
6. Reclaimed wood & steel: Reclaimed wood and steel are some of the most eco-friendly materials that are used in the construction industry and will help to save trees. Reclaimed wood is good for making cabinets and floors but its strength must be tested before use as it is light in weight. But, this material is susceptible to insects and care must be taken to avoid degradation.
Recycled steel (which can be obtained from scrapped cars) can be used for frames and increases the resilience of a structure against earthquakes. It is 100 % recyclable, long-lasting and need not be replaced often. This material is most –suited for building facades, roofs and structural support. It is water and pest resistant. These two materials _ Recycled steel, and reclaimed wood _ can be used in any part of the world to build eco-friendly homes.
Smart homes let us have control over the gadgets at home. This way we can keep track of how we waste energy and try to save it. Therefore, they are eco-friendly and eventually help us to save time, money and the environment. They elegantly control your energy consumption and keep track of your lifestyle. It is said that a smart home will help you save nearly 30-40 % of energy.
Energy-efficient appliances: We all use energy-intensive appliances like refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers, ACs and so on. If these are made energy-efficient, it will not only reduce our utility bills but also soothe the planet. Energy-efficient appliances are very essential and here are some tips to turn homes eco-friendly.
Replace old refrigerators as they hog a lot of energy. Energy-certified ones are 10 % more efficient and so look out for the energy star label, before finalising the purchase. The same thing is true for dishwashers and washing machines too. The older the machine, the higher is the water wasted. The new star-labelled ones are advanced in technology and save your utility bills too.
When you install ceiling fans, install one in the living room where you spend most of your time. The fan should be a big one with bigger blades as it can move more air. Try to use more of the fan and less of the air-conditioner to bring down your electricity bills.
To bring down utility bills and to make your home eco-friendly, it is not enough to just take up these measures; a smart thermostat is a must. You can significantly save energy by using it judiciously as smart thermostats learn the family’s cooling or heating preferences.
Apart from these measures, you should try to have high-efficiency plumbing fixtures, passive solar design, use eco-paints, recycle construction waste and install rainwater harvesting structures to turn your home eco-friendly.
Use natural cleaning products and abstain from harmful chemicals to clean your home. The used water gets back into the water supply and harms the environment in turn. Some of them also get into water bodies which makes them unsafe for drinking.
Add solar panels as they do not produce greenhouse gases. They lower your bills and turn your homes eco-friendly.
Dispose of your waste at home in a smart way. Improper disposal can clog landfills and also lead to excess methane production. Resort to waste segregation by having different bins at home. Label them as a reminder for all family members. You can also start your own composting station for breaking down organic materials using natural decomposition. It enriches the soil and helps the environment.
Install LEDS to help your home run more efficiently and turn it eco-friendly. Use canvas or eco-friendly bags and avoid the plastic which has wormed its way into all areas of our life. The oceans and the soil have become contaminated and are constantly being polluted by plastic. Not many are aware that the earth will be deprived of its water sources if it is being used indiscriminately. Reducing water usage will cut down on the amount of water that is being taken from the rivers and other water bodies.
Fill your home with plants to improve air quality. Make sure to landscape your home with native species or climate-appropriate plants. This will help create an eco-friendly landscape at home. It is also important to develop eco-friendly eating habits. Always buying foods with minimal packaging and beverages in plastic bottles should be avoided.
Are you ready to turn your home green now? Eco-friendly homes should have sprung up all over the planet by this time. But they have and many cities are not giving it a try too. But, you can make a beginning now, this very second you go through this blog. Set the ball rolling!! Slowly but steadily implement all the tips, in your home, stated above. People around you will become cognizant of you and your work. Your eco-friendly home can encourage them to make this planet greener than ever.
