Greening the Home, Part Uncountable

So let’s say you have been checking out some resources online on how to make your home greener. You know for yourself that it would be a bit disgraceful for people to think that you are doing and sharing everything you can to them about rising sea levels, global warming, climate change and animal extinction. But you go home on your same, slump with no concern whatsoever about your garbage disposal, wasted energy or even the food that you eat. Although people are different and it all depends on their perception on how to help in making the world a better place. But what better way than to start with your home, right?

Whether you live in a massive house, an old rusty home, an apartment, or a condo, these simple ways of making yourself a greener abode is not far from your reality. Basically, for me anyway, a green home is all about preservation, efficiency and cost effectivity. Here are some easy start-ups to start making your home a better place to live in.

Let there be light: Natural light, that is. Open your windows and let it some sunlight in your home! Try doing this during the daytime to refrain from using electrical lights. The result? You save a huge chunk of money on your energy bills and your home shines a bit brighter without the need for electricity.

Do it DIY: Sure, a lot of companies have now turned to big, capitalized firms who uses their resources to mark up on energy-efficient materials such as solar panels. But with a little bit of smart thinking, research and some elbow grease, making a DIY solar panel is not as complicated as it looks. There are a bunch of good quality DIY Solar Panel Kits and even other people who are selling cheaper but more efficient solar panel making guides for your convenience. Just imagine how much you’ll be saving in terms of the expense and the return of investment. Oh an we can’t wait to slash of at least 50% from our electrical bills.

Go with the flow: Energy saver materials, check. Water saving materials? Start with a water saving audit. We might be a bit concerned with this one as well. While brushing your teeth with the faucet on may look like a small thing, overtime, you are the one who is in charge of saving your own water. Change your ways by avoiding long showers and baths, and buy a water energy saving dishwasher for your kitchen. No, I am not stopping you from being a bit hygienic, but you know for yourself what is wasteful when it comes to using a natural resource like water.

Divide and Conquer: Segregation is the key to make your home sustainable. You’ll never know how much you’ll be saving (and earning) when you collect all your packaging materials like used bottles, plastics, even cooking oil! You might think that I’m making your home like a junk shop, it’s not like that at all. We all know that a lot of waste in rivers comes from unsegregated waste materials that only piles into one dump. Look for people who are in need of the things you have at home, and learn to recycle and reuse. Use brown bags as garbage bags, used wine or beer bottles as vases. Send them to the junk shop and donate them in exchange of money. Now how sweet is that, right?

Homes are considered the ultimate place for comfort, if not for being one of your prized possessions. This is an investment that you need to think about making improvements on.

Solar panel photo from Shutterstock

Author’s Bio: Hollie Downes is a regular writer for Mortgageloan.com, one of the biggest online home financing and mortgage loans guides in the US, established in 1995. They provide up-to-date news, loan rates, and other tools for homeowners, including a general guide to Energy Efficient Mortgages that are great for those who would like to take green homes to the next level.

[source: http://feeds.importantmedia.org/~r/IM-greenbuildingelements/~3/BZMADFVpUcU/]