Every year, the stakes become higher for humanity in our fight to stave off the catastrophic effects of global warming. Now more than ever before, people recognize the need to make their homes and their lives “greener.” If you want to do your part to make your home eco-friendly, you should start by optimizing a few essential systems. By making some alterations to these systems, you can help slash your home’s emissions.
You can cut down on your home’s overall energy consumption by customizing your residential air conditioning system. Look for systems with certain green features, including two-stage compressors and geothermal heat pumps. Programmable thermostats are also key, since they help cut down on unnecessary usage. If your HVAC system is old, it might be time to replace it entirely and do an upgrade. This is a great opportunity to make it more energy efficient.
You can seriously decrease the size of your “carbon footprint” just by switching to environmentally-friendly light bulbs. The old-fashioned bulbs use more energy and burn out quickly. Energy-saving CFL or LED bulbs last longer and burn less fuel, making them a win-win for you and the environment. In order to cut down on the amount of energy you use on lighting your home, utilize natural lighting as much as possible. Keep your blinds open during the day and turn your light switch off.
You use a lot of energy every time you wash your clothes. Luckily, a few small adjustments will seriously lessen the environmental impact of every load. For one thing, make sure you invest in energy-efficient appliances. Then, wash your clothes with cold water and, if possible, hang dry instead of using the machine.
The single best thing you can do to improve your home’s efficiency is switch to a renewable source of energy. If it’s possible in your location, you should seriously consider switching to solar. Not only will you help save the climate, but you’ll also save serious money on your utility bills. If you’re really lucky, you could even end up selling some energy back to the grind, further boosting your budget and the societal gains of your solar panels.
When food waste winds up in a landfill, it releases methane into the atmosphere. Since methane is a greenhouse gas, this means all your potato skins and dinner crumbs contribute directly to global warming. To eliminate these emissions, consider composting your scraps. You can also swap your prepackaged foods for products you can get in bulk bins at the grocery store. This will help you cut back on packaging waste. Keep a bulk foods section in your pantry and have reusable bags on hand.
Climate change is a truly global issue, and, in solving the problem, it’s on all of us to do our part. If you’re a homeowner, then you should customize the several systems in your home that are responsible for serious greenhouse gas emissions. By taking the steps outlined above, you can help create a sustainable future for all of us.
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