9 easy ways to make your home eco-conscious
Sustainability is a term that just encompasses the idea of healthy living and continuation, which most things are not. I.e., fad diets. They are not "sustainable" because at some point they come to an end, and everything is undone. Learning how to live a healthy, enduring lifestyle and changing your habits makes your lifestyle more "sustainable". You get the idea. So, whether you want to lower your energy bills, make your home more healthy, or simply contribute to the health of the earth, these are extremely simple ways that will make your home not only healthier, but lower your energy costs.
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Look for cement fiberboard siding and asphalt shingles. The siding is extremely long-lasting and asphalt shingles won't need to be replaced as often normal ones, preventing more materials from entering landfills.
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If your building a house or have a budget that allows some renovation, consider making your house an open floor plan. This provides natural light to all spaces reducing the need for light fixtures to be on all day, and allows cross breezes from the windows. It also makes your home seem larger, and tend to make people feel more free and refreshed!
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Consider a "house-wide ventilation system". This consistently moves bad air out, and fresh air in, and doesn't use any more energy than a light bulb. Amazing! If you don't see the importance of this one, do a little research on what's in the air that you and your kids are constantly breathing in your home, and keep in mind that all painted surfaces and furnishings that contain chemicals continue to off-gas into the air for years.
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If your considering wood flooring, try to use a species that is native to the area in which you live, reducing the energy and cost of shipping. (If your leaning towards linoleum, do your homework and try to buy the stuff that's real linoleum, which is completely made up of natural materials including linseed oil.) Also consider concrete counter tops (which have endless potential for beauty) that use fly ash, a by-product from coal burning that they catch from the air and use in cement products.
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Since homes are smaller these days and indoor air quality is such a huge concern, take into consideration what chemicals the materials in your house contain. Instead of using typical MDF for your cabinets, use plywood which contains less chemicals. There are TONS of other options that are completely harmless to you and your air. For example, formaldehyde-free bamboo, (Plyboo brand) or wood-like products made from compressed sorghum wheat!
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This one should be a no-brainer, and a go-to product. Use energy-star appliances. They use 30% less energy than conventional ones.
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Use energy-efficient windows, (low-E glass and renewable poplar for the trim) which lets sun warmth in and prevents heat loss when needed (by up to 75%), and keep warm sun rays out when cool air loss is a concern.
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Position your home where the longest side is facing the south, and you'll save energy. The shortest sides receive the most sunlight. Place rooms that need the most sunlight in the morning like the kitchen, dining room, and breakfast room to face the east, and put bedrooms, living rooms, and evening spaces more towards the west side so they get the evening sun, which isn't much.
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Use formaldehyde-free building materials and replace particleboard with a wax-and-resin subfloor, which will reduce your VOC (volatile organic compound) emission. Use VOC-free paint, and consider this point with anything you use in your home.
Note: Whether you care about (or are educated on) the whole "green thing" or not, sustainability is just the idea that our surroundings (if the word environment scares you) can go on and endure despite what impact humans may have. Even if you don't buy into global warming, it's a fact and quite obvious that we are polluting the air and oceans, using unnecessary energy, and filling humongous craters in the ground with trash that will never go away. Read more about the importance of sustainability here.
Photo Source: www.constructionlawsignal.com
Information Source: Better Homes and Gardens, 2010