Here are 10 ways to make your home more sustainable.
1. Develop A Green Thumb
Not only does bringing plants indoors create a lush, restorative feel, it also purifies the surrounding atmosphere.
2. Shop For Second Life Items
Gradually replenish home products and materials with sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives by looking for items that are made with recycled or upcycled materials.
3. Invest In Timeless Pieces
Be mindful of the longevity of a product when purchasing new furniture or accents. Investing in timeless, quality items will ensure they stand the test of time.
4. Upgrade To High-Performance Windows
Sealing any air leaks around windows will increase the airtightness of your home and reduce heat and cooling loss, which means you can lower the thermostat in the winter and don’t have to run the air conditioner as hard in the summer.
5. Pick Renewable Building Materials
Renewable materials and materials with lower embodied carbon have a smaller environmental footprint. Choose wood over steel or concrete where you can — the extraction, manufacturing and transportation of wood products emit less carbon dioxide.
6. Save Energy At Home
You can save significant amounts of energy and money by using a programmable thermostat to reduce energy use in off-hours, overnight and when you are away. There’s also the easy stuff: switching to LED lights, and using blinds or curtains to reduce heat gain in the summer.
7. Repurpose Pieces You Already Own
Often times we have beautiful options for furnishing and decorating in our home already – we just aren’t using them creatively. For example, you could use baskets, quilts, your kids’ art or even round placemats as unique wall art. A dining hutch could be painted and turned into beautiful storage for linens in a hallway or bathroom and an old dining chair or stool painted a fun colour could work as a bedside table for kids or guest room.
8. Shop Vintage When You Can
Buying vintage and antique furniture means you aren’t consuming new goods and it also means you aren’t bringing new toxic chemicals from plastics and man-made fabrics into your home. Make it a habit to look for used pieces first.
9. Decorate Using Nature
Birch branches leaning in a corner, a wood stump stool from a local maker, and even interesting rocks on a tray are naturally beautiful and become conversation pieces. Pick up things from vacations like shells and sea glass, and display them in jars on a shelf or use salvaged driftwood to add texture and warmth to a wall.
10. Choose Eco-Friendly Flooring & Countertops
When the time comes to upgrade or switch out design elements like countertops, look for composite or bio-glass counters made with recycled glass or paper, Cork is a sustainable option for flooring, as is recycled hardwood and linoleum, which is biodegradable and made from rapidly renewable materials.
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