From Guest Blogger Dana: How to Make a Sustainable Home

Today most people are aware of the importance of trying to build an energy saving home. With all the pollution humanity is creating, with no signs of slowing down, it is up to the individual to do their part in saving our home planet. Small steps can be made in the right direction to help slow down the problem that our grandchildren might seriously one day have to face! One might think that creating an energy saving home is financially straining and in some cases it is however, there are some steps that you can take that are very ecofriendly, efficient and money saving.

Renovating your home

If you are renovating your home and you are genuinely concerned for the environment then here are some pointers on what you could do. Firstly; insulate your home. If you insulate the ceilings, walls and floors then you will be saving on both heating and cooling expenses, while at the same time reducing your energy consumption. When renovating your home consider using recycled materials instead of purchasing new product. There are many outlets that sell great quality recycled material, which is obviously environmentally friendly because it prevents you from purchasing and consuming new goods. As we all know over consumption is one of the ultimate problem.

If you are building your home from scratch then design your main living rooms with the windows facing north for this way your home will receive more natural light and heat. An obvious factor in making your home energy efficient would be to install solar panels. This technology has been around for many years and so to get one installed does not have to be too expensive. There are many options to choose from regarding solar panels and whatever your financial situation maybe,there are a variety of choices you can make. These are all just some basic steps to make your home more energy efficient and ecofriendly if you are undergoinga larger home renovation.

Small Changes

Now if you are not currently undergoing a home renovation or you are neither about to start one in the foreseeable future, but you do want to make your home sustainable then here are some ways to go about this. Block off any draughts within your house. A lot of heat escapes if the windows are not sealed properly, which is inefficient and will cost you more money to heat your home in the cooler seasons. Switch off any appliances at the wall. This seems obvious however, people tend to forget that even when an appliance is left on standby it still uses up electricity. Use efficient heating appliances such as a heat pump. Heat pumps can heat your home better with less energy and costs less. One of the more important things to look out for is to check the energy rating labels when buying new appliances. This can be very helpful when deciding what to buy. These are some simple ways that you can make your home more energy efficient, ecofriendly and of course to help you save money.

Self Improvements

The biggest change you can do for the environment and for your home is the small changes in your everyday actions. For example, you should try to purchase energy saving light bulbs as opposed to buying standard light bulbs. Buy locally produced items instead of imported ones. Even if the item has nothing to do with energy saving, imported products generally waste a lot more energy due to transportation, which far exceeds the energy that was used to make it locally. Recycle! Recycling paper, bottles and tins are a huge way to help. Use modern furniture with eco-friendly labels that can afterwards be donated to recycling centres. Take reusable bags to the supermarket. Plastic bags cause massive damage to the environment because they are easily and overly consumed by many people. If you like gardening, try planting local plants, instead of exotic ones because they require much less resources to survive and they are suited for the growing conditions in your area. By following these simple but easy steps in your everyday action you will both help then environment and make your home more sustainable.

Making a sustainable home is very important for the environment and for the future generation. Depending what you want it does not have to be expensive and evidently changing your everyday actions to a more ecofriendly one can ultimately do wonders.

Image source – Love infographics