Tips For A More Eco-Friendly Home
We all want to do our bit off the environment and make simple changes. The first place we should start is within our homes, by doing this not only are we making the world a better place but we will also make our bank accounts happier. Going green at home can save you extra costs on bills and household items. Without changing comfort levels, there are so many simple changes we can make to leave the world a greener and better place.
- The next time a light bulb needs to be changed, change it to a ‘Compact Fluorescent Bulb’ – CFB. Not only are they cheaper to run, but they also last longer than a non led bulb. CFB’s use up to 66% less energy, helping the environment but also helping with your electricity bills.
- Unplug your gadgets. TVs can typically be left for hours on standby, using unnecessary energy. Unplug to make sure your devices are definitely off. The same can be said for DVD players etc and I was the worst culprit for watching a dvd and falling asleep in my bed, waking up turning the tv off and running out the door to work, then getting into bed at the end of the day, turning the TV on and realising I had left the DVD player on a consistent loop by not turning it off.
- When washing clothes wash on a low heat (30o) to save on energy, also leave out to air dry. Doing both of these can use 40% less energy and prevent 2-3kg of emissions being sent out into the air.
- Open your curtains and blinds. Not only will you have no need during the day to turn on your CFB’s 😉 but you will also feel your home warming up better due to the natural sunlight you are letting in. By letting the sun in not only are you saving on electric bills but you are also saving (slightly) on heating bills.
- Use a compost. Not only is it the greener option as your food will not be left to rot in a landfill, but it will also save you on garbage costs
- Use energy efficient cook-wear, such as glass, silicone and ceramic. They last longer (unless of course you drop the glass) but they also require less heat to cook.
- Keep the oven door closed. There is a reason why we can’t open the oven door until we are sure a cake has cooked on the inside and that is because opening the door can dramatically drop the temperature inside, even if you only open the door for 30 seconds. Due to this drop of temperature it may take your food longer to cook.
- Keep indoor plants around your home. In colder months they have two benefits: A) They clean the air, so there is less of a need to open a window B) They help keep the room more moist which will really help with dry throats and even dry skin.
- Stay away from chemical sprays for room fragrances, instead use candles and natural oils.
- If you can, replace your window to energy efficient windows will help to keep the heat inside, saving you costs on heating and also use less energy to heat the house.
- In the bathroom make sure to turn off your taps when they are not in use, even when washing your teeth. Try to shower instead of taking baths. Showers will use up only about 14% of water that a bath uses.
Please see YogiSurprise for more tips
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Irish Mountain Child 
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