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Going green: How to make your home environment-friendly without spending too much

Male hand cleaning cook top

Instead of paper towels, use cloth tea towels or a sponge to mop up spills

Making your home environmentally friendly certainly goes a long way in reducing your household’s carbon footprint, while helping you save money on utility bills.

You don’t need to spend a lot of money to go green. There are many simple and inexpensive ways to reduce your energy consumption, reuse your household waste, and more. Here are a few budget-friendly suggestions:

  1. Switch to energy-saving light bulbs

    Save more electricity by switching to energy-efficient light bulbs like light emitting diodes (LED) and compact fluorescent lamps (CFL). These types of illumination emit less heat than regular incandescent light bulbs, leading to lower energy use and a longer lifespan. LED and CFL bulb are also easier on the eyes.

  2. Water your plants with rainwater

    When it rains overnight, around 300 gallons of water flows into the public sewers. This water can be reused for your plants. Create your own rainwater barrel or place a large basin or bucket outside of your home. This way, you won’t have to turn on your tap. Just make sure that you don’t violate your state’s laws regarding water harvesting.

  3. Turn food scraps into compost

    Put food scraps like fruit peel and leftovers to good use. Turn them into compost to fertilize your plants and garden. Place a tightly-lidded compost bin in your kitchen for ease of use.

  4. Start using cloth towels instead of paper towels

    Instead of using disposable towels in the kitchen, revert to reusable tea towels to dry your hands. You can also use a kitchen sponge to mop up spills.

  5. Use natural alternatives to cleaning supplies

    Many chemicals are present in everyday household cleaners due to their effectiveness and ability to wipe out dirt, germs, or bacteria. But these chemicals are also very harmful to the environment. Cleaning supplies that contain ammonia, nitrogen, and phosphorus can end up polluting waterways and affect plant growth. A natural alternative is to use vinegar or lemon juice to wipe down sinks and kitchen tiles. They are also effective in cleaning, polishing, and removing dirt.

  6. Fix leaking toilets and faucets

    Leaks waste a ton of water and money when they go unnoticed. Do routine check-ups on the toilets and taps in your home and have them fixed immediately once they start to leak.

  7. Place segregated recycling bins in every room

    Many people find segregating their trash to be too tedious. Recycling bins also tend to be located in just a few areas around the house where trash tends to accumulate, like the kitchen. Encourage the practice of sorting trash by placing segregated recycling bins in bedrooms and areas in the home with high foot traffic.

  8. Enroll in online billing

    Do you still receive paper billing statements? Contact your vendors and utility companies and ask them to send you your bill electronically. You reduce the amount of physical mail that you get while saving paper.

If you’re looking for a place to call home, you’ll find it in Kansas Hays. Know more about the residential properties in Hays by calling (785) 621-4663 or emailing info(at)platinumgrouphays(dotted)com.