The sort of impact that our consumption patterns have on the planet are staggering to say the least. Chemicals of all sorts permeate the very fabric of our life. Power hungry appliances are all around us. Our lifestyles and habits are often the sort that waste resources. All of this may well be unconscious; but then don’t we need to give a thought to our consumption patterns?
If we can make the effort to mitigate, at least to an extent, the impact that we have on our planet, then we should.
Here are some eco friendly home products to help you reduce your environmental impact:
1. Eco Friendly Paints
There are number of chemicals used in conventional paints, and most of the chemicals are new with little to no research done on their long term impact on the environment. The eco-friendly paints on the other hand are made from non-toxic elements, most of them derived from natural sources like plants and minerals. They have no volatile organic content (VOC) and hence are odorless.
2. Eco Friendly Cleaners
Many eco friendly, kitchen and laundry cleaning products are available in the market today, that are made from natural substances rather than harmful chemicals. Be it soap, detergent, multi-purpose cleaner, disinfectant or deodorizer, why not use the ‘eco-friendly version’!
3. Recycled Paper Towels
Kitchen towels, disposable tissues, toilet paper; there are so many ways in which we use and bin paper each day. Make responsible choices by using unbleached, unscented, recycled paper for all of these as well as for your gifting, wrapping, and other paper needs.
4. CFL or LED Lighting
Quite simply, this lasts longer and consumes a lot less electricity than conventional light bulbs.
5. Rechargeable Batteries
We need these for the TV remote, for wall clocks, toys and a hundred other home appliances. There is really no excuse for creating mounds of waste from discarded batteries when you can use rechargeable ones.
6. Green Furniture
Furniture made from certified sustainable wood, made from reclaimed or recycled materials, from junk, from bamboo, etc also help you lower your ecological impact.
7. Water Saving Flush
A significant proportion of the water that each one of us use in a day is expended using or flushing the toilet; an estimated 30% our daily consumption. Smaller flush tanks that use less water than the traditional ones do the job just as well. Also the kinds that have two buttons to choose between the “little flush” and the “big flush” are better.
8. Water Saving Faucets and Showers
These products can make a huge difference in terms of the amount of water used in the bathroom as well as the kitchen. These eco friendly home products have a low flow design that expends less water per minute of use. A greater amount of air is projected along with the water to help save water but give the same experience in terms of quality and comfort of washing.
9. Energy Efficient Heating and Cooling
Part of the job can be done by proper insulation of the home to reduce leakage and hence more efficient heating and cooling and lower energy consumption. Also setting the thermostat to energy saving settings is something to do all the year round. Also consider whether the A/c is an absolute must. Will a fan not do the job just as well?
10. Energy Efficient Refrigerator
A fridge is something that you cannot control the use of; obviously you don’t switch it off when not in use. But here as well, the thermostat settings can translate into more energy efficient cooling. And when buying a new appliance, look the newer varieties that have more efficient compressors and better insulation for lower energy consumption.
11. Energy Saving TV
It goes without saying that you should turn the TV off when not in use, but also remember to switch it off rather than merely put in on the standby mode. The newer TVs also come equipped with a motion sensor, so that if you fall asleep in front of the TV, they turn themselves off. Watch TV together (this way parents can keep a tab on what juniors are watching). Turn down the lights of the room when watching TV. Consider buying a smaller screen (less resource expenditure during manufacture and less power consumption) with energy saving features.
12. Electric Scooter or Vehicle
This is a remarkably simple device that never needs to go to the gas filling station. You plug it into a wall socket just as you would your cell phone and you’re good to go. As for the avoiding the fatigue that comes from the vibration and noise pollution of regular combustion vehicles; that is just a plus!
13. Composter
This is an easy and earth friendly way to get rid of household waste. Not only that, you can get organic manure for your home garden, if you want try and grow your own organic produce. There are other DIY projects such as vermiculture that use special worms to turn waste into natural, organic fertilizer.
14. Solar Energy Panels
These are a terrific idea especially if you live where the sun shines brightly for most of the year. Solar energy panels may not take care of all your energy needs, but they can significantly lower your reliance on the local electricity source.
15. Wind Mills
If your yard permits, installing wind mill can be a great idea. Think about the clean, sustainable and free energy that it offers for your household needs, as well as the savings you will make in terms of energy bills.
