Can one person really change the world? I believe that one person can, in fact, change the world. It takes the passion of the first person to ignite a spark within others. In fact, every time I think of climate change young Swedish Greta Thornburg comes to mind. While change doesn’t take place alone, one person can help you release your habits, thoughts, actions etc can make a difference.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed when thinking about all the work that we need to do to make the planet a healthier, greener and happier place to be. If you are passionate about stopping climate change, cleaning the planet up and reversing as much damage as possible to our planet, then it’s easy to find yourself wondering where on earth you can get started. It may seem like you are fighting a losing battle at times, but the truth is that every small step you take – whether it’s ensuring that your home is more energy-efficient, recycling more paper, reusing your plastic bags, taking a metal straw out with you instead of using plastic ones, making your own compost or going meat-free a couple of days a week, you are making a difference. And, what better place to start than your own home? You may not be able to solve every environmental problem that the planet is facing, but you do have control over how eco-friendly your own environment is.
#1. Get Solar Panels:
If you want to not only improve your home but also make investments that you are sure will make it a more environmentally friendly place to be, then getting solar panels is one of the best decisions that you will make. Check out Semper Solaris, the best solar company in Westminster, for a range of different solar panel options to determine which will be the most suitable for your home. In addition to the panels, they also offer the best solar panel installation in Westminster with a service that you can trust and rely on.
If you live in the area, then you’ll probably know that solar in Westminster is on the rise – just at it is around the US, with the nation coming fourth around the world for countries that are utilizing more renewable energy, following China, Germany, and Japan. So, there’s certainly no shortage of options out there if you are looking for a solar company in Westminster to help you choose the best panels and ensure a high-quality installation at your home.
Once installed, solar panels will generate electricity from the sun for your home, which can be used to power your appliances, lights, and devices. Any surplus energy that you generate can be sold back to the utility companies, meaning that rather than paying a monthly bill for electricity, you’re making money from it instead.
#2. Reduce Your Water Waste:
Water waste is a bigger problem than many of us realize, and when you have immediate access to running hot or cold water simply by turning the faucet, it becomes all too easy to take it for granted. But, taking steps to use less water – and certainly, waste as little as you can – will not only be cheaper for your home but also have a significant positive effect on the environment.
There are many things that you can do to reduce your water waste. Try using a water-saving showerhead when you wash; this will use less water when you are showering but the water pressure will stay the same, so you won’t even notice. If you can, try to keep your showers short and sweet – it may be tempting to take a long, hot shower but just two fewer minutes in there can save a huge ten gallons of water, per shower. And, when you are done, check for any leaky faucets or a leaking shower head – these should be repaired as quickly as possible as over time, this can waste a substantial amount of water that you don’t even notice.
There are also several habits around the home that you may not even realize you are doing, which will all contribute to wasted water. For example, if you run the faucet continuously when brushing your teeth, any water that you don’t actually need is just being wasted – instead, keep the faucet switched off until you need it for rinsing or, even better, fill the bowl with a little bit of water to use. And the same goes for washing up – only run the water when you actually need it.
#3. Switch to Environmentally Friendly Cleaning Products:
Keeping your home clean and fresh is a must for most people. But did you know that most of the chemical-laden cleaning products that you use around the home can be harmful to not just the environment, but also to your health?
Bleach, kitchen and bathroom sprays, disinfectants, air fresheners, and other cleaning products are common staples in most homes, but they contain chemicals that can do some serious damage when released into the air – and you are breathing these in when you clean, too! And when you rinse off your cleaning cloths and the product goes down the drain, they are going back into the water supply – meaning that your water is going to take more purification in order to be safe to use again.
The good news is that there are many other options available, and you don’t have to use harmful chemicals around your home. Bear in mind that many cleaning products today come in plastic bottles too, so if you want to be as eco-conscious as possible then you might want to consider making your own using items that you can find at home, such as white vinegar, lemon juice, or bicarbonate of soda. Or if you’d rather opt for a convenient option, look for eco-friendly cleaning brands which are thankfully becoming increasingly more common today.
#4. Reuse and Recycle:
Today’s culture is one that’s more wasteful than ever before. Compared to our ancestors, we are now wasting more and more and using a record number of one-time-use products. Yes, it may be convenient, but when you see photographs of the plastic and other waste building up in the oceans and on beaches around the world, it becomes clear to see exactly what the price of this convenience is.
So, at home, one of the best things that you can do to make your environment as eco-friendly as possible is to reuse and recycle as much as you can. Try to cut down on your paper use – today, smartphones, tablets and computers are a much better option for jotting things down and keeping notes, even if you’re a student – but if you must use paper for any reason, get the most out of it by using both sides and then recycle it when you are done.
Don’t forget that recycling doesn’t just mean throwing things in your household’s recycling can and hoping that somebody else deals with it. In fact, although many well-meaning households recycle as much as they can, the sad truth is that most of it still ends up in landfills. So, whenever you can, recycle things yourself! Old clothes can be repurposed into cushions, other textiles for your home or even new cleaning cloths and rags, or if they are still in good condition, donate them to somebody who needs them before you think about throwing them into a recycling can. Bottles can be made into ornaments and vases, or used around your kitchen to hold food ingredients or equipment – there are plenty of great, creative ideas to take advantage of to make your products last longer.
What are you doing to make your home more environmentally friendly? We’d love to hear from you in the comments.
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