Trying to live more sustainably always starts at home. If we want to raise the next generation of environmentally-aware citizens, we must first look into our own households to ensure that we’re not contributing to problems like global warming and wasted resources.
For starters, here are some eco-friendly products you need in your home right now.
- Aluminum Windows
It’s no secret that aluminum is among the safest and ‘greenest’ building materials on the market. It’s even better than commercial wood, which is usually the byproduct of deforestation and chemical treatments. Having aluminum windows is also better than using vinyl, which releases pollutants into the air during production.
Aluminum is one of the most recycled products on Earth, so you don’t have to worry about using it liberally on your windows and doors. Doing so would also save you good money on maintenance and upkeep costs since it is practically immune to rust and does not collect much dust, too.
- Rainwater Harvester
Harvesting rainwater is a sustainability practice that has been around since the beginning of time but only regaining popularity in recent years, due to the increasingly depleting supply of freshwater on the planet.
Having a rain barrel is essentially more beneficial if you have a garden or lawn to maintain. By using rainwater collected from a harvesting system to supply irrigation to your garden, you can reduce your dependence on municipally treated water, while giving your beloved plants ‘healthier’ water free from hard chemicals like fluoride and chlorine.
- Reclaimed Wood
Using commercial wood for your construction/renovation needs is not inherently bad because wood is still a renewable resource. The problem is that the global demand for wood hardly gives enough time for our forests to recuperate what we consume.
So for your next renovation or furniture construction project, consider using reclaimed wood, or timber recycled from old barns and such. Aside from this being a more responsible choice, you will surely appreciate the unique, antique aesthetic reclaimed wood.
- Renewable Energy
One of the most environment-friendly choices your household can take is switching to renewable energy. You might be on the fence on this one because you’re not sure if you want to invest in an entire solar panel system, which would require not only capital investment, but additional costs on upkeep, too.
It’s good to know, therefore, that the world has gone quite far in terms of looking for alternatives to fossil fuel-based energy sources, so much so that there are ways to utilize renewable energy at no cost nowadays.
Renewable energy is, no doubt, the most eco-friendly product you can have at home.
- Eco-Friendly Paint
If you have a lot of free time in your hands now that you’re probably under a work from home setup, why not give your home some tender loving care by giving it a new look with a fresh coat of paint? To make things more interesting and environmentally-friendly, you can purchase eco-friendly paints that are made from natural materials and pose lower health risks, too. Most eco-friendly paints are cost-effective so that’s definitely an added bonus.
- Recycled Furniture
When you think about recycled furniture, you might have an image of a haphazardly built table or chair that probably won’t last a week of use. But that’s usually not the case. Most recycled furniture pieces are actually very beautiful and are a great conversation starter when you have guests over.
Just be careful and check where the pieces come from. It’s better to buy locally-sourced furniture whether recycled or not because these items have less carbon footprint.
- Compostable Garbage Bags
There is an ongoing trend of buying a lot of biodegradable materials with the hopes of being much more environmentally-friendly. But there is a big difference between biodegradable trash bags and compostable ones and you need to know this now.
Biodegradable trash bags are pretty much like degradable ones except only for additives placed in biodegradable plastics to aid in decomposition. However, it will still take quite some time before these small pieces of biodegradable plastic disappear.
On the other hand, compostable trash bags are the obvious best choice for all intents and purposes because they are made out of plant materials that can be thrown in your compost bin and will completely be gone in about a month or so.
- Reusable Utensils
This may sound cliche but reusable utensils, including metal or bamboo straws, are still a good way to do your part in saving the environment. The only time that it actually becomes harmful is when these items become novelty pieces that are collected instead of used. So no, we don’t need an iridescent metal straw if you already have a perfectly fine regular metal one.
It’s wonderful that you’re now starting advocacy to help save the environment. Being aware of the current status of our planet is in itself an achievement during a time when a lot of people still believe otherwise. A word of advice though is to start small. Use environmentally-friendly cleaning products or reducing your shower times.
You don’t need to rush things. Remember that this is not a trend but a lifestyle change that would benefit the Earth and the future of mankind.
