Having a green home is the first step to greener living. The green living lifestyle can be confusing and it can sometimes be difficult to figure out where you should start. This guide offers practical advice on how to green your home, clean your home with green methods and how to make overall changes in your daily lifestyle and home environment so you can achieve the green lifestyle you have been craving. The first aspect of a green home that we will cover is the five basic steps to green your home. Following those steps will be different topics on green living and creating a green home through practical applications and green living advice.
Five Steps to a Green Home
Having a green home or opting for a more eco-friendly feel at home is not only an exciting activity, but also a productive one. Going for a green home is one of the ways on how you can help save Mother Nature and ultimately have that beautiful and well-appreciated home. On the one hand, the processes to obtain a green project are never that difficult to start with and are actually pretty easy and cheap to do as well. If you are ready to turn your home into a Mother Nature friendly abode, here is some easy ways on how you can do it.
Opt for Vertical Indoor Gardening or Hydroponics Gardening
Having the presence of plants inside your house is one of the manifestations of having an eco-friendly house. However, do away with the plastic ones and opt for the live, real ones instead. There are many ways on how you can turn your house into beautifully crafted greenery. An example would be hydroponic gardening or vertical hydroponic garden. Vertical hydroponic gardening makes use of rearing plants inside the home with the aid of particular systems and methods and stylish containers. Some of the plants that are best for this type of gardening include chamomile, kale, lettuce, peas and many others. Some even opt for plants that have aromatherapy properties and will ease tension, nerves and anxiety related issues. You might want to check out online for more choices on vertical indoor gardening looks.
The Use of Grey Water to Conserve this Natural Resource
Conserve lots of water today while you still have excess. With the alarming changes of climate and environmental issues, the possibility of having extremely dry seasons is high so the use of rainwater as a freshwater resource and regular watering of plants is vital in order to obtain the full potential of the natural resource. Grey water is water that has been used in washing clothes, dishes and in bathwater. This water is still useful for watering the plants or as an irrigation system to larger landscaped areas.
Conserve Energy
Make sure to conserve energy thru little ways like turning an air conditioner OFF when you are not using it, closing the faucet after use, switching all light bulbs OFF after use and unplugging the old refrigerator when you are using a new one. Energy conservation does not only help other neighborhoods get sufficient energy supply, but also help decrease your monthly electric bills. This means savings on the monthly budget as well.
Use Steam Cleaners
Keep your mops, bleachers and other cleaning systems that make use of products that are potentially harmful to the environment and the people in the household. Steam cleaners only make use of tap water and old clothes or rags to clean on any hard wood floors. With it, strong odor, dangerous chemicals and pricey disinfectants are being avoided. So, switch to this nature-friendly cleaner today.
Top Green Cleaning Products
It is high time to switch to products that are environment-friendly and economical. Given the existing environmental issues that the globe is facing these days like global warming, the meltdown of coral reefs, sudden climate change and many others, we should start showing love to Mother Earth in our homes. One way of doing so is to go green like choosing green and safer cleaning products rather than strong chemicals that hurt both our pockets and our health. Here are some of the most common environment friendly products, which are mostly laundry detergents that you might want to add in your grocery list this weekend.
Method
Aside from that fact that most Method laundry detergent products are aesthetically appealing and easy to use, it is also very economical and eco-friendly. Its new packaging, which is dubbed to be less than 40% plastic and mostly made from recycled materials, allows user to pump the solution easily, making laundry washing easier and more budget friendly. It is patented with a Smart Green, plant-based formula and is very free of artificial chemicals that do not only harm your hands or skin in the long run, but also kill those fishes and other underwater creatures when thrown to septic tanks and sewage systems. It is actually one of the most recommend laundry detergents on the market.
Seventh Generation
One of the best things about Seventh Generation is the fact that it does not contain any chemicals to brighten clothes or take stubborn stain. This is best even when used for grey water systems and does not contain any product, like phosphate, that can potentially trigger cancer cells in the long run. Seventh Generation has a wide array of products to choose from house care, laundry care, personal care and even up to baby care. You can be confident that it does not contain parabens in its personal and baby care collections, so you remain clean and fresh sans the cancer-triggering product. Its products are quite cheaper, too.
ECOVER
Whether you are looking for laundry detergents, toilet bowl cleaner or other house care products that are guaranteed safe, efficient and totally budget friendly, you might want to get your hands on ECOVER. Being in the market for more than a few decades, ECOVER has gained the trust of many household parents and individuals as its products are made of natural ingredients like coal, wood, grass and the likes. ECOVER are efficient in cleaning stubborn stains in clothes and toilet bowls and are efficient in keeping the area or the item smelling fresh all day. In addition, with that easy to use design, you will definitely get the value of your money.
ECOS
ECOS are dubbed as one of the most earth friendly products in the market. It has no traces of phosphate, so you can be confident that it will not harm underwater species or encourage algae to thrive in the water systems in your locality. It is plant-based and it does not leave an awful smell to clothes and skin.
Making your Own Green Cleaning Solutions
Opting for eco-friendly products is a surefire way to keep the environment safe from further harm and to keep your hands and skin safe from irritation. Most green products on the market include laundry detergents, personal care items, baby care pieces from baby wipes to baths and toilet bowl cleaners. The problem recently has been that some green products turn out to not be as green as they first proclaimed. If you want to make sure that the products you are using are totally eco-friendly, you may want to consider making your own green cleaning solutions. They are cheaper and work the same, if not better than, store bought solutions.
Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Initially clean the toilet bowl with water first. Then put some borax in areas that are hard to reach and those with stubborn stains. Use at least ¼ of borax only. Then spray with concentrated vinegar on the whole toilet bowl including those with borax. You might also want to make use of calamansi or lemon juice for fresher scent or use baking soda instead of borax since the latter is more accessible to the former. Leave for several minutes then wash thoroughly. Borax is also called sodium borate and it cleanses, deodorizes, and disinfects areas with stubborn stains like toilet bowls, glass windows and the likes.
Air Fresheners
Do away with commercial air fresheners that are not only pricey, but also harmful to your lungs and health. Place plants around and inside the house. You can make use of indoor gardening to make the system more appealing. Herbs and other plants with nerve relaxing smells are best placed in the corners of the house or in the rooms. Place a few slices of calamansi or lemons into your garbage bins. These will collect garbage odor and will keep the smell at bay even when opening trash cans. Leaving calamansi slices in small plates or baskets in enclosed areas as a way to avoid bad smells is also an option. Remember to consider your environment and climate before leaving lemons out in the open. An option is to dry the lemon and place it in a sachet or use a lemon juice mixture as an option for quick cleanups and sprays.
Carpet and Cloth Stains
Calamansi or lemons are versatile and beneficial when it comes to disinfecting and getting rid of stains. To get rid of stains on clothes, sink clothes into a basin with 2 liters of water, an ounce of vinegar and lemon juice. You might want to squeeze lemons directly on the clothes’ stain before leaving these into the solution. To remove carpet stains, mix white vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Spray well on carpet stains then leave for a few minutes. Brush carefully with sponge and sudsy water. You can also use baking soda mixed with water instead of white vinegar and do the same process.
Natural Deodorants
Baking soda is one of the most staple ingredients if you want to deodorize items in your household like plastic food storage containers and carpets. Soak containers in a baking soda solution using warm water overnight then rinse in the morning. Sprinkle water with baking soda to carpets before vacuuming.
Conserving Energy in Your Home
Energy should never be wasted especially that the ongoing issues about environmental problems are rising. Scientists have reported that if we do not utilize energy properly, we will face energy crisis and issues in the future. These issues can include a failure of energy or electricity grids similar to the failure seen in India during the summer of 2012. Energy conservation should start in our own household before we can act to encourage everyone to do the same. Energy conservation at home can be easy if we are just determined to do it every single day. Here are some ways on how we can conserve energy at home.
Appliances
There is no doubt that appliances are the number one consumers of electricity in the house. Remind everyone to always close the door of the refrigerator after using it. It is not advisable to leave it open for several minutes or to have it opened every minute of the day as this can hasten its consumption of electricity to make its internal spaces remain as cool as possible despite the opened door. Opt for energy saver refrigerators instead.
Lights and Water Supply
Tell the other family members to avoid leaving their lights ON when they do not use it anymore. If they need illumination when sleeping, have them use a lampshade instead. Faucets and showers should be turned OFF after using. This is to avoid energy consumption and to save water in the long run as well. It is often advisable to make use of water conserving shower heads and faucet fixtures as well as toliets that conserve water with each use.
Transportation
While using a vehicle can be very convenient to you and to your family especially during rainy season and peak hours, getting around in this means of transportation will not help conserve gas. This is true for people who opt to drive short distances or to those who buy cars and do not check the mileage and fuel consumption. You can opt to use your bike when running for errands on weekends or walk when you are going to a nearby food station. You can use public transportation if you are not on a hurry on weekdays. Take note, you can also save a tremendous amount of gas and fuel expenses in the long run.
Heating and Cooling
Turn the thermostat to high mode after a few minutes of its start up to reduce energy consumption. You can also choose to buy air conditioners with energy converters, which make use of its own water during long hours of usage to produce cool temperature instead of energy. To trap heat inside the house and to be able to lower down house thermostat and heaters, close curtains and doors during the day. Choose to have bulky curtains or drapes that prevent heat from escaping to the window.
Benefits of Having a Green Home
You love your family and you would never want them to suffer physically, emotionally and mentally. Opting for a green home is one of the surefire ways to show your love for them. Having a green home where toxins, air and water pollutants, chemicals and other harmful products are at a minimum, can help you have the family that stays strong and healthy compared to other families than don’t mind being exposed to toxins and daily dose of harmful products. Having a green home means adding plants in the household or within the vicinity to help make fresh air and to trap pollutants daily. Having a green home means saving energy through the limited use of appliances, lights and water supply. Practically, having a green home is always an added boost to a family’s relationship and lifespan given of its numerous benefits.
Health Benefits
If you go green, you will most likely incorporate plants and flowers in your household to trap the air pollutants instead of opting for an air freshener. Air fresheners, except those from natural and 100% eco-friendly brands, contain chemicals that may cause allergies in kids. Hence, its use should be limited. Furthermore, skin and nasal allergies are also being minimized in this option. The green color of the plants’ leaves also provides relief to tired eyes. Studies show that tired eyes are slowly relieved when frequently stared at green surroundings and lush environment. On the one hand, green homes are mainly painted, constructed and detailed by the use of eco-friendly materials, which are practically costly but very beneficial and robust.
Savings
Try to compute how much you can save if you just walk to a nearby grocery store rather than taking your car for a short errand or see how much savings you can have when you limit the use of showers or the use of air and cooling appliances per day. These activities can generally cut out significant portions of your electricity bill. The savings that you can get out of going green can be used either for your kid’s tuition fees or for a holiday getaway this summer.
Increased Productivity
With healthy home, you can be assured that childern, spouses and possible roomates and guestswill stay productive in their daily tasks. Your kids can remain good and active at all times in school while your spouse can stay alert and productive in house chores or in the office. Such productivity rate can help them achieve their goals and ambitions in life, which in turn, can make them happy and satisfied individuals. Green offices are also making improvements in businesses due to their employees’ increased productivity rate.
Environment Friendly
Let us all save Mother Nature by going green in the home. We can all protect and save nature by managing our wastes and energy consumption and by using eco-friendly products only. With a green home, there are still ways to heal this planet and to stop global warming from becoming intense.
Sustainable Patio Gardening for a Green Home
Living in a green home does not only help you obtain healthier family, but also an appealing and fresher home. Putting plants in and around the home helps trap air pollutants and make the vicinities look alive and cool with its green leaves and colorful flowers. Aside from that, there are also a number of methods on how you can plant veggies inside the home like kale, lettuce, chamomile and others, so you get to harvest fresh veggies every day. Having a sustainable patio gardening is another method that can help save the environment. In addition, sustainable patio gardening focuses on using certain planting system that works well with nature. Here are some of the ways that you can opt.
Organic Gardening
From the name itself, organic gardening is a type of gardening that makes use of composts, insects and grey water for the plants to grow. Gray water uses water from washing laundry and doing the dishes. There is no incorporation of pesticides and other harmful products that might cause land and air pollution. Making use of animal manure, chili pepper mixture in water and other organic mixtures are used to make the garden bloom.
Backyard Composting
Backyard composting utilizes scraps from food and biodegradable waste. The food, such as coffee grounds and fruit peels, will be mixed with fertilizer and other composting components. The components will be mixed in a composting bin and used for the patio garden or indoor garden. Backyard composting is a wonderful way to make use of kitchen scraps without cluttering landfills. It will also use the food to its fullest potential. Some choose to use fallen leaves, animal manure, and the likes, left under the soil for several months to decay before creating backyard compost.
Pest Management Systems
Not all flying insects in your patio garden are enemies. Bees and butterflies are actually great pollinators that help the spread of more flowers and plants in the area. Use flowers that attract these insects beside the main plants in your patio. Just make sure though to have ammonia and other natural products ready in case bugs and other pests dominate the area.
Recycling
Recycle used home products to beautify your patio garden or to make for pots for plants and flowers. Broken eggshells can be converted into small flower pots for planting and sprouting new seeds. You can also make use of broken stones or bricks from neighborhood to add more appeal to your patio garden. An unused and old chair can be painted according to your preferences and can be used for plants display. Rocks and stones or pebbles found on the roads and in other areas can be collected and made as a division in the garden. This cheaper compared to buying loads of pebbles. You can also use excess paints to put color to your found rocks to make your patio garden more beautiful.