Homes everywhere are going green, and not just to save the environment. Going green can also save you a lot of money. Here are just a few ways that you can start opting to be eco-friendly around the home.
Repurpose and recycle – don’t throw away
Landfill sites are filling up and replacing items can be expensive. Don’t chuck everything away the moment that it’s broken – get creative and repurpose that item. Curtains, duvet covers and tablecloths could be an opportunity to make your own custom clothing.
Holes in upholstery from cat scratches can be patched decoratively with doilies. A chair with a hole in the seat can be resurrected by fastening some belts around it and making a new seat. Even if you’re certain you have no use for the item, someone else could do – and they might be prepared to pay money for it. There are lots of places online where you sell old electronics for parts or fabric for clothing.
Choose greener energy sources
You may be able to save money on your energy bills by converting to a greener alternative. The likes of American Power and Gas get their energy from sustainable sources and charge much cheaper rates.
Then of course there’s always the DIY approach of getting solar panels installed on your property. Whilst the initial cost of installing them is high, you can make up this cost in a few years and could effectively then be electric-bill-free.
Insulate your home
If you’re constantly reaching for the heating thermostat, why not take measures to insulate your home and save having to add to your gas bill. There are countless ways to insulate your home. Loft insulation can be particularly effective, stopping heat from escaping through the roof.
Double glazing can stop heating from being lost through windows. Cavity wall insulation can stop it from being lost through walls. A thermal boiler jacket meanwhile can preserve heat in the boiler so that the water stays hot longer.
Some people use solar window screens to keep out UV rays while also saving money by reducing the amount of heat that comes into the home. Who knew?
Recycle water
Greywater recycling is a way of re-using the drainage water from your bath and sink. This water can be re-used to flush a toilet with or used in garden sprinklers. There are then various rainwater recycling methods that can allow you to live off-grid in terms of plumbing by converting rain into drinkable water.
These recycling systems can be expensive to install but you’ll eventually make up costs. A rain barrel as found at the Home Depot could be a cheap way of providing water for the garden and prevent you from having to run a hose or sprinklers off a tap.
If you’re considering rainwater, you’ll want to know the laws surrounding this activity. Read up on it here.
Collect compost
Chemical fertilizers aren’t good for the planet as they require burning fossil fuels to produce. Switch to natural fertilizer simply by collecting compost and letting it mulch down to be used the following year.
You can buy a compost bin to keep this garden waste in, or even make your own compost bin. On a related note, you can also make your own pesticides rather than buying chemical ones.
If you haven’t composted yet, why not give it a try now? It’s a natural method of decomposing organic material, such as food (vegetable scraps) and plant (leaves) waste.
The process involves bacteria, worms, fungi, and more. Check out this guide to prep your garden for composting. From choosing the best location for the compost pit to making sure it stays moist, there is a lot to learn in this rewarding activity that helps the planet.
I would like to put solar panels on my house. The startup costs are high in my area, so it is going to take a few years to get it done.
All great ideas however I will have to disagree with the statement that it takes just a few years to recoup the cost of solar. I live in the Pacific Northwest where utility rates are fairly low and we spend about $45-50 a month on electric for our 3-bedroom house. The bids we got to add solar would be approximately $13,000 and so we would be lucky if we were still alive by the time the cost was recouped.
Lovely composition
Brilliantly written
Great tips! My parents grew up in the Depression and learned to wear out, re-use and make do and they taught me to do the same. They did not know it would be called recycling. Even today I still try to do the same even though I don’t have to for financial reasons. We compost and have rain barrels. I wish we could afford solar panels. Thanks for encouraging every one! This Earth is the only home we have! Good post!
Ohhhh I love that you are “all in” when it comes to being eco-friendly and that your parents did the same, even before the word was coined “recycling” ~ As for encouraging, your comment helps motivate me to keep publishing here so I thank you for it!
Fascinating post…. Thank you for providing such good tips in order to preserve our planet, dear CB…. Solar panels are such a powerful innovation. In Mendoza, Argentina, some wineyards have used them to keep the grapes warm and avoid cold during certain seasons. The results were conclusive… By the way, I am also liking the fact that cars can also be fueled with electirc power… Much more sustainable, less expensive… and, last but not least: less harmful to our planet.
Sending much love! :star:
Hi Aqui, thanks for the informative comment here, including about the wineyards in Mendoza using solar panels. Wow! An electric car parks close to me at home so that’s cool you mentioned about those autos. I think that’s going to become more commonplace in the next few years. I just want solar panels to come down in price soon too! I love having your support. HUGE hugs and love xxoo
Hugs & love back at you! :D <3
Ohhhh I feel the love and the warm hug :) Thanks!
Way to go lady. I am behind you all the way on this one. I hate waste x
Great to hear we have shared feelings on going green xx Those hamstahs better smarten up!! hehe
Yeah… But they would say they are green. They eat everything……. xxxxxx
Hahahaha ;) Laughing!
Good !!!
I could not agree with you more.. We save our water in water barrels for the garden both at home and on the allotments.. We recycle metal, clothes, plastic.. paper..glass.. Our home is insulated we did that several years ago due to cold winters we then had. Plus we have looked into solar panels, but they were far to expensive at the moment to justify the means..
Excellent post Christy.. Oh.. and should you ever visit our garden.. allotment blog LOL.. you will see the piles of compost haha..
Love and Hugs
Sue xxxx <3 <3 <3 Great points Christy xx
Hi Sue, I do hope the cost of solar panels decreases over the next decade. It would be nice for that to become more commonplace.. As you say, it’s just not affordable at the moment for many people… I just knew you’d be drawn to this post.. You are beautiful and thank you for doing your part to help the environment. OH can you please provide me with the link to your allotment blog? I’m going to bookmark it!
Yes I think the prices are coming down. But its the energy companies who are raking in the rewards of such panels on private roofing..
We had some one come and even measure up as the energy company wanted 18 panels on the roof.. But the cost of what we would get back and the panels are not your own property and would make selling your home difficult as you had to sign long term contracts. So we gave up that idea.. We looked to buy a few but again the cost did not justify what you would save given the few we could have afforded..
The problems is these Large energy companies are making too much money and do not want us to have Any sort of ‘Free Energy’ yet I am sure its there, already been invented, but scrubbed to oneside while the big boys get fatter.
And yes, Loved your post Christy.. and delighted to give you my Gardening Blog Addy
https://dreamwalkergarden.wordpress.com/
Love and Hugs my friend enjoy your week.. xxx
Hi Sue, thank you for the additional details about the solar panels. I totally understand now as I hadn’t realized about the long-term ramifications regarding home ownership/selling. It’s a great thought though that we can use clean energy to power our homes and also reduce electricity bills. It’s the wave of the future, I think. Oh money! Why can’t we just win the lottery?! Seriously though, I love the idea of reusing/recycling. It’s great to know you’re on the same page too. Thanks for the blog link and I’ll be over to your “garden” later today :) <3
If we only ALL do a little it goes a Long way in helping our environment.. And no rush the garden will be there, :-) Many thanks for taking an interest.. <3
Truthfully I love all that I read of yours, Sue – I often sit back as I read your posts and savor the peace that comes with you messages, so much of the time.. Thank YOU for that xx
Awww Christy, you do not know how happy that makes me feel.. And it makes all my writings so worth while, if I can manage to get that peace and certain messages across.. Many many thanks dear Christy 😍💖😘
Hi Christy…
Excellent points and certainly good information for people. Congratulations on another winner…
Hugs
Rolly, thank you. Talking about the environment never goes out of style, in my opinion… xx
Way to go environmentalist..
Thanks for making time here! Your blog is coming along well :)
Thanks for encouraging. Your words are like oasis in a desert to me.. 😀