Simple Ways To Make Your Home More Eco-Friendly

We are, quite rightly, hearing lots about the environment lately, with massive protests being held in London and world leaders talking about climate change at summits. It is great news that many people across the world are becoming more conscious of their impact on the environment. Being more environmentally aware will not only help you contribute to a more sustainable environment, but it can even help to save you money in the long run.
One of the best ways to do this is by looking at your home and garden. There are so many ways that you can make a huge difference - some easy, some not so.  Read on to find out more.  


Consider your water consumption
Water is one thing that many of us take for granted. We know that two-thirds of the planet is covered in water, that the ice caps are melting (thus creating more water) and then, we look out of the window and see the rain, and it is too easy to think that there is more than enough water to go around. However, it is vital that remember that water is not an inexhaustible source and that one day, we will run out.
The first thing you should do is to fix any leaks. These are a massive waste of money because you are quite literally paying for water to go down the drain. You can also install low-flow showerheads, and low flush toilet systems, both of which will save a significant amount of water - and therefore money - over the course of a year.

Insulate
One of the best ways to make your home more eco-friendly AND save you a tonne of money is to make sure that you are using as little energy as possible. Investing in good quality insulation is the easiest way to do this.  If you have proper insulation, you won't need to burn energy to heat your home all of the time, saving you both precious energy and money.  If you don't already have double glazing, this is definitely something you need to be putting in, as the amount of heat that escapes through draughty, single glazed panels is insane!  

Swap to natural cleaning products
Using chemicals to clean is exceptionally harmful to the environment - and can also have a negative impact on our health. When you wash them away, these chemicals are then entering our water supply, which is terrible for aquatic life and also means that the water will have to undergo more purification before it is safe to use again. Of course, we are not suggesting you ditch cleaning altogether, but you don't need bottles and tubs of harsh chemicals to have a clean and hygienic home. For most tasks, natural products such as citrus fruits, bicarbonate of soda and white vinegar can be used in place of damaging chemicals. 

Create your own compost bin
Food waste is an ever-growing problem. We generally buy way too much food and end up throwing a lot away.  The most obvious solution is to buy and cook only what you need, but let's face it, that can be a lot easier said than done. 
What you can do is to make your own compost bin for peelings and food scraps. All you need is a domestic compost bin in your garden and pop bits in there. When it breaks down, you can use the resulting compost to fertilize the growth of new plants in your garden.
Having a visual reminder of how much food you throw away can also be eye-opening and encourage you to make changes.

Be smart in the kitchen.
It is easy to make smart choices in the kitchen, which can lead to a much more eco-friendly home and save you money. For example, get out of that habit of opening the oven door while you are cooking. Even if the oven is only open for a short time, it will then need to use energy to heat back up. If you have access to a slow cooker or a halogen oven, use that where possible as it uses significantly less energy. 

These are just a few of the many things that you can do to help make your home a little more eco-friendly. Try some of them today and rest easy knowing that not only are you possibly saving yourself money, but you are doing your bit to keep our world great for future generations.