Nesting, styling and home improvements always seem to be an ongoing pursuit. There are always enhancements to be made and new trends that suit our lifestyles and the homes we live in. One such trend that is growing in popularity is making homes more eco-friendly. There are so many benefits to doing this, not the least of which creates a cleaner home environment and reduces our carbon footprint. If you are keen to give your home a green makeover but not sure where to start, here is a guide to making your home more eco-friendly in 2023.
Ducted heating
Green living is not all about what we can see, and often the biggest and more significant changes we can make cannot be seen by the naked eye. Ducted heating is a more sustainable way to keep your home temperature throughout the cooler months, reducing your reliance on energy-burning standalone heating units. Ducted heating is designed to work in all kinds of homes, and provides a warmer environment that sticks around longer than other heating solutions. Find some local providers to quote what this job will cost and see for yourself how much that spend compares to energy bills through winter.
Thermal curtains
Another great way to keep your home warmer and keep the cold air at bay is through thermal curtains. These thick curtains are designed with unique technology that provides the ultimate line of defense, especially if you have lots of windows around the house. When your thermal curtains are taking the cold out of the air in your home, you are less likely to use power to warm the home, thus making for a more sustainable solution. You can find thermal curtains in lots of different colors, styles and patterns to suit your home so you do not have to sacrifice the style you have created in your home.
Eliminate single-use items in the kitchen
The kitchen is guilty of having many single-use items, but there is really no more use for them with the great silicone items out there in the market. Cling wrap and baking paper are single-use items that you should work to eliminate. Use containers instead of cling wrap and buy some reusable silicone baking liners to replace the need for baking paper. You can also make a considered effort to reduce the amount of single-use cutlery that comes into your home and get some stylish reusable cutlery sets instead. These can be for the household only or to take with you when you eat out. Replacing single-use items in the kitchen will make your home much more eco-friendly and will reduce your waste and soft plastic.
Solar power
You would have to be living under a rock to know just how beneficial solar power can be, to our planet and to our pockets. The initial spend to get solar power more than pays for itself, with some households reporting that they have a credit instead of a bill at the end of a quarter. If you live in a location that experiences a very hot climate or a very cold one, then having solar power to keep your home at the optimal temperature is a great solution. There are typically government incentives to install solar power, so look to see what subsidies are available in your state and start planning the transition.
Set up a responsible rubbish system
What does your home rubbish and recycling system look like, and can it be improved upon? It is necessary that we all separate our soft plastics, glass bottles, hard plastics, food waste and general waste. When we separate and categorise these in the house, it makes it easier to then identify what is going in which bin and what goes into the compost. If you have not got a compost bin yet, you might find it to be a great asset in your home and a huge help in taking those food waste scraps and turning them into nutrient-rich soil.
We hope this guide has given you ideas on how you can make your home more eco-friendly. It all starts with making the effort, exploring your options and having a genuine curiosity about where our waste ends up and how we can stop the cycle. You may also wish to reach out to other green warriors in your area to get ideas on how you can work together to reduce your impact and inspire others in your community to do the same.
