It’s more important now than ever for people to do all that they can to save the environment. From years of carelessness, our environment is suffering irreversible damages; however, it’s not too late to stop these damages before they worsen. If every person made small efforts to save the environment, it’s likely that the ecosystem would see outstanding benefits, preserving the environment and the organisms that inhabit it. The best ways for people to make small efforts to save the environment can be done in the comfort of their own homes. Your home is one of the places that cause vast environmental damage without you even realizing it. This post will detail 5 ways to make your home an eco- friendly place so that you can do your part in saving the environment.

How Can I Make My Home More Eco-Friendly?

Making your home eco-friendly doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. With minimal effort, you can make a large impact on the ecosystem. Here are 5 ways to make your home more environmentally savvy. 

• Utilize Solar Energy

Solar energy is an outstanding way to make your home more eco-friendly. The most popular form of solar energy is solar panels. Solar panels absorb sunlight and convert it into electricity that can be used to power your entire home. A specialist from a company that sells solar panels in Cherry Hill pointed out that solar panels can save homeowners thousands of dollars in electricity bills per year as solar panels are a sustainable energy source. 

Solar panels can be a bit costly, and though they are an investment worth making, if you can’t afford solar panels, you should consider investing in solar lighting fixtures. These lighting fixtures work the same way, storing sunlight and converting it into electricity in order to provide light to your home. 

• Install a Smart Thermostat

Smart thermostats are an important energy-saving invention to incorporate into your home. Smart thermostats work the same way as regular thermostats, however, you will now have the option to adjust them from an app on your mobile device. Smart thermostats allow you to turn your heating and cooling systems down or off when you leave the house, then back on when you are on your way home. 

Smart thermostats will save you energy and money because they no longer need to be left on when you aren’t home. You can control the temperature of your home from remote locations, allowing you to still come home to a comfortable temperature without leaving your heating or cooling system on all day. 

• Use LED Lighting

Lighting fixtures use copious amounts of energy which is not only harmful to the environment, they can also end up costing you hundreds of dollars in electricity bills each month. To conserve energy when it comes to lighting fixtures, consider installing LED light bulbs. LED light bulbs use only a fraction of the electricity that standard light bulbs do and have a much longer lifespan. In addition to their minimal electricity use, LED bulbs will create less waste because of how infrequently they need to be replaced. And like smart thermostats and solar energy, LED bulbs will ultimately save you money; therefore benefiting both you and the environment. 

• Create a Compost Pile

Compost piles are a free and easy way to give back to the environment. Compost piles are created to be used as natural soil in gardens in order to help plants grow. To make a compost pile, instead of disposing of food and waste that is organic and natural, such as fruits and vegetables, put it in a pile outside and let it decompose. After it decomposes, you will be able to use it as soil to give your plants top-notch nutrients.

You will be providing the ecosystem with natural resources to help the organisms within it thrive. And the best part? Compost piles will not cost you a dime; consider creating one in a corner of your yard or in a garbage can on your deck. Be sure not to add processed foods or dairy products to your pile as these foods will ruin it and cause it to smell.

• Repurpose Old Furniture

Repurposing old furniture is a simple, easy, and fun way to make your home eco-friendly. Instead of buying new furniture, consider repurposing your old furniture. Repurposing furniture will allow you to have the exact piece of furniture you have been looking for and will allow you to reduce waste. Try making this environmentally savvy task a family affair; you can repaint, refinish, or repair pieces of furniture with your significant other and/or with your children.

If you don’t have any furniture around the house that you can repair, consider buying furniture from a second-hand shop, or buying used furniture from online and repurposing that. You will be doing your part to save the environment by reducing somebody else’s waste. 

Your Small Efforts Will Play A Part in Your Future

The small efforts you make at home now will have a huge impact on the future of the environment. It’s important for all humans to do their part to save the environment before it’s too late. By doing the small efforts such as the ones listed above, a bright future for the ecosystem is possible. Consider making these small changes to your home today, you won’t regret it, in fact, you will likely benefit too. Make some changes today. 

About the Author

Jennifer Bell is a freelance writer that works with All American Plumbing, a plumber in Sicklerville. Jennifer is also a blogger, dog-enthusiast and avid beachgoer operating out of Southern New Jersey

Guest Contributor: Jennifer Bell