According to the World Resources Institute, residential buildings are responsible for approximately 20% of total greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, and household consumption behaviour is responsible for 72% of global emissions.
If you really think about it – that’s quite alarming!
As technology advances and time progresses, homes are becoming more eco-friendly. That’s mostly because the eco-awareness is much higher than it was before, plus eco-friendly solutions used to be expensive; now they’re not.
But regardless of all the progress we (as a species) have made, all the overconsumption, increased need for electricity (especially with all those EVs) that came with the growing population haven’t really made it easy to show any positive results. It feels as if no matter how hard we try to be eco-conscious, we just aren’t doing enough.
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Energy Efficient Appliances and Lighting
Upgrading to more energy-efficient appliances and lighting is one of the most effective ways to reduce your utility costs and the environmental impact of your home.
Lighting alone makes up for around 15% of the average household’s electricity usage, so making smart, and eco-friendly upgrades (e.g., switching to LED lighting) can significantly lower energy usage. In fact, American households that do use LED lighting save around 225 USD annually on energy costs. That’s because LED bulbs use around 75% less energy and last up to 25 times longer.
When we say energy-efficient appliances, we think about certified Energy Star appliances that help save energy for millions of American homeowners.
Energy Star-certified appliances like refrigerators, dishwashers, washers, and HVAC systems consume from 10% to 50% less energy than non-certified ones, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and your bills.
Water-Saving Solutions
A good water-saving system and solutions can also help you lower your costs and environmental impact.
Believe it or not, 80 to 90% of the energy used to heat water is wasted and drains with wastewater, also called ‘greywater’.
So, one of the water-saving solutions you can install is a greywater recovery system, which reuses that ‘wasted’ heat for warming incoming cold water. Thanks to that, you can repurpose up to 60% of household water.
Other easy fixes and upgrades:
- Low-flow showerheads and faucets: Low-flow showerheads can lower your water consumption by up to 60%, and using a faucet with aerators can lower it by 40%.
- Fixing leaks: A single leak can waste 20 gallons of water in one day.
- Switch to a dual-flush toilet: Dual-flush toilet models use under 1 gallon for liquid waste.
- Smart irrigation systems: They help conserve water outdoors by collecting rainwater, adjusting watering based on weather, soil, and plant needs.
Repair Before You Replace
Give another chance to your older stuff, and choose repairing instead of buying new. A good example is furniture. Instead of tossing an old dining table or a broken chair, you can easily fix it and repurpose it.
You can also find second-hand pieces of furniture for cheap, or even free, on sites like Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist, and with a little bit of DIY, make it look brand new.
Outdoor Sustainability Upgrades
If you’re planning an outdoor home project, here are some eco-friendly and sustainable options:
- Permeable pavers: They allow rainwater to pass through them, instead of going into drains. Good option for patios, driveways, and walkways.
- Native landscaping: Filling your yard with plants from your region cuts down on the irrigation, fertilizers, and pesticides.
- Concrete lifting: Cracked or uneven concrete doesn’t necessarily mean full demolition. With this technique, you’ll be saving time, energy, and most importantly, cutting on waste.
Unfortunately, it’s not that easy to DIY because of all the tools involved, plus if you don’t know exactly what you’re doing, you’ll have an expensive and regrettable mistake looming over you, regardless of whether you think you’ve done a good job or not.
So it’s best recommended to do a “concrete lifting near me” search online to find a good-quality local professional set of hands.
Use Recycled and Natural Materials
Renewable/recyclable/reclaimed materials should be a priority in front of the classic virgin/non-renewable materials (e.g., limestone, granite, slate, plastics, asphalt, rubber, crushed stone, resins, acrylics, etc.):
- Reclaimed wood is a perfect option when it comes to flooring, accent walls, furniture – things like that; It’s great since it helps preserve trees and helps cut carbon emissions up to a whopping 50% (compared to newly harvested wood).
- Recycled metal (aluminum, steel, copper, lead, zinc, nickel, titanium) can be repurposed for things such as railings, structural accents, fixtures, etc.
- Bamboo is an extremely fast-growing/renewable alternative to hardwood. It also absorbs (through leaves via stomata) more CO2 than most tree species during growth, so it’s great to mass grow. It also releases oxygen, which is great for the environment.
- Recycled glass tiles are made from 70-100% recycled glass (according to the U.S. EPA Green Building Materials Guidelines), which means they are highly efficient when it comes to upcycling; they help lower air/water pollution during the manufacturing process.
Embrace Reusability and Sustainability
Making small, daily changes can make a big impact. A good example is swapping grocery bags for reusable ones. That small change helps cut down the millions of plastic bags dumped in landfills and in the oceans. Other similar examples are replacing single-use plastic zip bags with silicone food storage bags, using refillable cleaning bottles, and reusable tea bags and coffee pods.
Something more people are practicing is reducing food waste by mindful shopping, and only purchasing what you need and can eat. Also, you can incorporate compost bins into your household for collecting organic waste, which can be repurposed for improving soil health.
Based on data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, reduction/reuse are two of the most effective ways to help protect the environment by saving energy and cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
Conclusion
As the war on climate change continues, we still are doing our part by implementing those small (but important) improvements to our homes that steer us towards sustainable living.
Don’t give up and don’t disregard the importance of your choices. Even one small habit, or one small change are enough to go towards a healthier plant that we’re leaving for future generations.