Published on November 26th, 2018
Almost any homeowner loves to tinker within their house with a few new design ideas. Whether it’s using portable furniture or reusing jars for storage, we all think up new design ideas for the home.
But, in this day and age of being eco-friendly, many people are coming up with different ways that also help us save energy, and the environment.
The following suggestions will give you new ideas to help you liven up your home, and become more environmentally-conscious.
1. Buy “Pre-Loved” Furniture
Buy “Pre-Loved” Furniture pic.twitter.com/aTKavIpzm5
— rihaan sharma (@rihaansharma9) November 26, 2018
One of the best ways we can help our environment is to reduce our carbon footprint. A great step in doing so, according to House Beautiful is to purchase “pre-loved” furniture. Sure, some call it “used”, but the word can conjure up negative thoughts.
After all, you want everything in your home to create a good vibe. Vintage is another great term, and you can find all sorts of vintage furniture in many antique shops or online. In turn, you can also list the furniture you want to replace, and give them to someone else instead of just throwing it out, which creates waste.
2. Research Your Wood
You may think that all wooden furniture is the same. But, that’s simply not true. Only FSC certified wood, which is sustainably-sourced, will help fight against deforestation. The certification shows that it is better for the environment than standard wooden furniture.
3. Thermal Curtains Keep You Warm Naturally
While all curtains will help block anyone from looking in, the thermal alternatives also reduce your energy bill. The best part is that, with thermal lining, you can make any set of curtains you have an environmentally-friendly alternative.
4. Go Green With The Green
Go Green With The Greenhttps://t.co/CQ5Xrsdvse pic.twitter.com/gyCpmKiFHZ
— rihaan sharma (@rihaansharma9) November 26, 2018
Simply put, if you want to go green, as Urban Naturale suggests, put some more green inside the house. Adding more indoor plants not only livens up the beauty within your home, it helps detoxify the air you breathe.
You can also plant them in a variety of eco-friendly ways such as repurposed containers, along your walls or even use them to decorate your windows.
5. Get Artsy
But, there are plenty of other ways to decorate your home. One such method to use art. Displaying photos or paintings brings a sort of tranquility. But, remember – in order for them to be eco-friendly, consider the material.
Anything made from recycled material will not only bring new life to your living room or bedroom. It will lengthen the life of the materials used in your art.
6. Let The Light Shine In
Of course, one of the best ways to brighten up a room, according to Eluxe Magazine, is to do just that. Opening up your windows will let all the sunshine into the house.
Not only will the light brighten up the house. It’s natural heat will help warm the inside for hours. Just make sure that your windows are well insulated, or else some of the cold air will get inside.
7. Switch The Lights
Another great eco-friendly method for your home – and energy bill – according to HuffPost is to change your light bulbs to CFLs. You’ll save up to 66 percent more energy, which will reduce your costs. They also last much longer.
8. Turn Off Your Electronics
Even when you’re not using them, your computer, TV, and other electrical devices use energy if they are plugged in. So, don’t just turn them off. Unplugging them will save energy, as well.
9. Buy Locally
However, no matter what materials you use, please make sure to buy them locally. While several products are imported from other countries, focusing on locally-made products cuts down on travel time for the them to arrive. In addition, it also makes sure that you know the quality of products.
After all, locally-made products come from locally-known brands. Thus, you should already know that its quality is high. In addition, you will also help local manufacturers increase business, and increase the local economy. It’s a win-win situation for everyone.
