Go Green at Home and Save Money

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Most people accuse big companies of pollution and the greenhouse effect. However, the daily routine of billions of people from around the world has the same disastrous effect as the fast, industrial development. That is why we need to go green. We need to change our habits and make our lifestyle more sustainable.

This type go green habit of living also brings health benefits, helps people simplify their life and make it more fulfilling. In this article, we shared a few ideas that will help you decrease your carbon footprint, save money and enjoy your life.

Go Green at Home and Save Money

Ideas for Greener and Healthier Living

Buy less

Consumers constantly buy things they don’t need.  George Carlin has explained this trend in his “Stuff” stand up routine. Consumerism in the developed countries is going wild and this is drastically affecting our environment. In order to reduce your purchases, you should think before buying any product. Do you really need a new hairdryer if the old one is still working? Can you fix your washing machine instead of buying a new one?

You should also think of how each product you buy affects the environment. This will help you reduce not only your purchases but also your waste.

Although the new products are definitely more appealing, sometimes you can find more affordable second-hand alternatives that are equally good. So, if you are walking around the mall and see an attractive product, ask yourself:

1. Do I really need this?
2. Can I buy a good-quality used alternatives?
3. How will this purchase affect my home budget?
4. Can this product be reused or recycled?

Go Green To Save Money

Plant your own garden

Unfortunately, fresh vegetables have become a very expensive commodity. The best way to save money on vegetables is to grow your own garden next to your house. If you use permaculture principles, you’ll be able to produce the finest and the healthiest organic vegetables. This way, you’ll make sure that your family eats the best produce and your backyard will turn into a relaxing oasis. Even the people who live in apartments can go green and use their balconies to create small container gardens.

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If you have a bigger yard, you should also plant a small orchard. Fruit trees need more time to grow, but they provide shade and make your backyard look amazing in spring. They require much more care, but the final result is the endless supply of fresh fruit and the tastiest homemade jams.

Create a tree-free home

Creating a tree-free home is quite a challenge, but it will save you a lot of money in the long run. These are some of the tips that will help you decrease the use of non-recycled paper in your home:

• Use cloth napkins instead of paper napkins
• Don’t use paper towels
• Read newspapers and books in the digital form
• Use recycled, unbleached toilet paper
• Don’t use printers, use a digital signature for documents
• If you need to use a printer in your home or office, use hemp paper
• Use digital organizers instead of paper notebooks and shopping lists
• Reuse envelopes
• Use linoleum, bamboo or straw bale for flooring

Buy and install power-saving appliances

If power bills eat up a large portion of your house budget, you should replace your old appliances with the new, energy-efficient ones. Tech companies invest a lot of money in making their products sustainable.

You should use this trend to renovate your home and install the latest energy-saving systems. These are some of the things you should keep in mind when trying to cut your energy spending:

• When buying home appliances, pay attention to the Energy Guide labels, or the EU energy labels if you live in Europe
• Install motion detector lighting systems
• Think about alternatives to regular air-conditioning. For example, the wind-powered room ventilation systems like the whirlybird;
• Smart homes spend much less energy;

Green home tech industry is very dynamic, so you need to follow closely the sustainable tech trends and think about the latest solutions.

In recent years, the concept of sustainability has received many followers. The best way to search for the most efficient green tricks is by socializing with people who are practicing them.

There are hundreds of eco websites that work on crowd principles and support recycling and reusing. Freecycle is probably the biggest movement that supports sustainability. They have a huge network of people who exchange free stuff and keep good and useful products out of the landfill.

By socializing and promoting ecology, you are not only helping the planet, but you are also cutting down your expenses and making your life more meaningful and fulfilling.