Doing your part to protect the environment once meant separating paper from plastic in your recycling bin and buying organic greens that you carried home in a reusable tote. But these days, there is a lot more you can do to create a green and healthy home.
Experts say that simple changes in your everyday life are all it takes to make your home a healthier, safer, greener place to be. But don't forget that human beings are creatures of habit, and change takes time. Begin with small steps. For example, make a commitment to change just one habit every month.
To help you get started, HealthHelpZone.com give us some tips on how you can turn your home sweet home into home green home.
- Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs: These bulbs - now available to fit many light fixtures - use just a quarter of the electricity of regular incandescent bulbs. Plus, they last up to 10 times longer, Yarrow says in 1,001 Ways to Save the Earth.
- Turn off the lights: If you or others in your household are forgetful, install movement sensors so lights only activate when needed. Another way to save energy is to install automatic timers for lights frequently left blazing in empty rooms.
- Set cooling and heating temperatures correctly:Your refrigerator and freezer are probably the biggest electrical energy consumers in your house. Take steps to make sure they're not working harder than necessary. Fridges do their job at around 37 F. Freezers set at -3 F keep things nice and frosty. Be sure to close the fridge and freezer doors. Leaving them open for just a few extra seconds wastes a lot of energy. Get an electronic thermostat so your furnace heats your home to a lower temperature while the family sleeps and returns it to a toastier temperature before you get out of bed. In the winter, set your thermostat at 68 F in the day and 55 F at night. In the summer, keep it at 78 F. Water heaters work most efficiently between 120 and 140 F.
- Get unplugged: Electronic appliances, including TVs, computers, and CD players can consume almost as much energy when in standby mode as they do during the relatively small amount of time they're being used.
- Use appliances efficiently: Wait for a full load before turning on the washing machine, dryer, or dishwasher. Clear the lint filter after every dryer load and air-dry clothes when weather allows. Use the air-dry function on your dishwasher. Preheat your oven only when necessary.
Greening our homes is an ongoing process that involves not just how the house is powered, but what we bring into the house, how we dispose of it and how we manage the environmental resources around the house. All those factors will play a role in the greening of your home. For more tips, or if you have questions about any of the ideas mentioned above, then don’t hesitate to contact us. We’d be happy to answer your questions, and don’t worry, we’ve heard them all before!
