How to Make Your Home More Sustainable

Many people are interested in living more sustainable lives. If you are unsure how to do this, start at home. There are plenty of changes you can make in your home to make a difference for the planet.

Landscape With Native Plants

A good start to making your home more sustainable is to use native plants in your landscaping. Native plants require less water than lawns or other water-loving plants. Since native plants are used to the soil and conditions you are planting them in, they tend to attract bees and butterflies, supplying them with nutrients. You do not need to mow native plants the way you do grass, which makes them better for the air quality. They do not require any harmful pesticides or fertilizers in order to grow and do well.

Get Your Electricity From Renewable Sources

You can improve your home’s sustainability by using renewable energy. One of the most popular forms of renewable energy for homeowners is solar power. Solar panels can be installed on your roof or other parts of your property if you have a lot of land. Solar removes about 10,000 pounds of CO2 from the air each year. Another popular renewable energy option for homes is geothermal energy. Geothermal energy harnesses the temperature of the earth far below the ground to heat and cool your home. Using geothermal energy can help cut your energy bills in half.

Minimize Waste Through Reuse

A good way to make your home more sustainable is to minimize the amount of material you throw away through reuse. Oftentimes we throw away things that we think are past their useful life without considering how they can be reused. For instance, dish or bath towels that get holes or stains on them are often put in the trash. Instead of doing that, use these items as cleaning rags or towels for pets. You can reuse glass bottles as vases, and use cleaned-out empty jars for leftovers. Switching from paper napkins to cloth napkins is an easy swap from a single-use item to a reusable item.

Making your home more sustainable is as simple as making a few lifestyle changes. Simple swaps, like reusing something more than once rather than using it once and throwing it away, can be done in many different areas of your home. Before you know it, your simple life changes will add up to have a major impact.

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