I started this blog because I am interested in conserving energy and finding new ways to save our environment. Whether your house is old or new, you can make changes to help conserve energy and improve indoor air quality in your home. Here are some things you can do today to get started!
1. On warm sunny days, keep blinds and curtains closed on the south & west side of your home to prevent the sun from heating your home and causing your air conditioner to work harder. The opposite is true during the winter months. Let the sunshine in! On cold sunny days open blinds and curtains to let the sun warm your house and brighten your rooms.
2. When you are through with an item, see if you can reuse it somewhere else in our house. For an example, old closet shelving or old bathroom and kitchen cabinets can be used in a playroom, garage or home office for storage.
3. Install programmable thermostats that adjust your homes temperature during the day while the family is at school & work and at night while everyone is asleep.
4. Repurpose water! Collect rainwater to use for your flower pots or window boxes later. If you don’t want to use a large rainbarrel, you can simply leave a bucket on your porch or deck to collect the water. Also, before your empty those cups and bottles of water that your family hasn’t finished down the drain, use the water for your houseplants.
5. Open your windows! Since many homes are sealed tight during the summer and winter months, Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is compromised. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), indoor air is often more than 10 times more polluted than outdoor air. By opening your windows, you allow fresh air in and stale indoor air out of your home. House plants are another way of cleaning the air in your home. Here is a list of some household plants that are recommended by NASA and the Associated Landscape Contractors of America (ALCA) to clean indoor air:
– Heartleaf Philadendrons
– Elephant Ear Philadendrons
– English Ivy
– Bamboo or Reed Palm
– Peace Ivy
6. Dimmers, timers and motion sensors for lights are your best friends. Use dimmers in rooms such a dining & living rooms and hallways that way you can adjust the light according to the mood you are trying to create. Timers are a great tool for lights that you want to have on during the evening but somehow are always forgetten to be turned off by the last person up. Motion sensors are great when used in the hallways and stairwell of basements, this way you will know that the basement lights won’t stay on all night.
I hope I have given you enough to get started on creating an eco-friendly house.