How can the environment be easily protected? All you need is a small change in your home habits to help reduce carbon emissions or reduce forest felling.
Pro-ecological attitude does not require the loss of home comforts. Changes in some habits will save electricity, water and reduce the amount of waste. It is worth emphasizing that this also entails material benefits, i.e. lower bills.
The first step is to save water. Instead of bathing in a bathtub, we can take a short shower, and while brushing or shaving, turn the tap. It is also worth mentioning leaking gaskets in the tap or toilet. Such replacement prevents the loss of 15 liters of water a day. Another way to reduce water consumption is to buy equipment that I will save for us. Shower taps and handsets with water-saving tips (aerators) or non-contact batteries are one of the possible solutions.
The place where the most electricity is consumed is the kitchen (about 40%). We can save money already at the planning stage. It is disadvantageous to set the refrigerator and the oven next to each other. The heat coming out of the oven causes more frequent activation of the refrigerator, which must maintain a sufficiently low temperature. The new devices are additionally equipped with various types of systems that contribute to reducing energy consumption. And what about old devices? We should remember to take care of them, for example fridges regularly defrost and vacuum them back.
Lack of a dishwasher in our home does not mean no savings. Instead of washing and rinsing dishes under a stream of running water, let’s do it in a separate bowl. It is also worth investing in induction hobs, which are much more energy-efficient than electric boards. In addition, they are completely biodegradable – heavy metals and arsenic are not used for their production. When cooking on induction hobs, only pots and pans heat up. We will save energy by cooking under the cover.
When buying household appliances, we should pay attention to the energy class. Class A appliances consume the least electricity. Use the equipment only when it is necessary. The same applies to lighting.
When buying furniture, we should pay attention to what and how they were made. Let’s try to choose products made from recycled raw material. The reprocessing process saves 90% of energy compared to the production of newly created plastic.
We can also have an ecological garden. When planting a garden, let’s try to choose plants that are natural for a given ecosystem. Do not cut the lawn too low. A greener solution will be a flowery meadow. Plants should be watered in the morning and not during the day when the water evaporates quickly. For watering we can use dotting lines and suction hoses. If we have the option, let’s collect rainwater. We use natural preparations to fight pests. A fragment of the lawn can be used for a greengrocer. Thanks to him we will have a supply of fresh vegetables.
Picture Credit: SarahRichterArt