Modern society is filled with impressive technology and innovations. But all those innovations come with a price. If everyone just made one solid, eco-conscious lifestyle change, we could majorly impact our communities and environment — not to mention take a bite out of our electric bills each month! It doesn’t take much, either. There are many ways you can lighten your impact on the environment without ever leaving your home.
Here are a few tips for making your home more energy-efficient.
Be Aware of How Much Electricity You Use
It’s estimated that the global electricity generation capacity will reach approximately 14 terawatts by the year 2050. That’s a lot of power! To help lessen your need for that sort of electricity, start by being more aware of how much power you’re using each day and how you can cut back in certain areas. Are there lights or appliances that are constantly on or plugged in? Can they be turned off or unplugged without causing a large amount of discomfort? These are a great place to start cutting back.
Start a Compost Pile
You don’t need a lot of space or fancy equipment to start a deeply useful compost pile right at home. Compost is formed when organic matter such as fruit and vegetable peels is kept in a pile as it decomposes. The result is a top-quality fertilizer for gardens and lawns. A good compost pile will also go a long way toward reducing the amount of garbage that you and your family produce over the course of the average day or week.
Use Eco-Friendly Materials During Renovations
Something as simple as choosing the right roofing material could result in as much as a 30% decrease in the energy your home needs. Certain roofing materials reflect the sunlight better than others, resulting in cooler upstairs temperatures in two-story homes and cooler overall temperatures in homes in general. This is especially useful during the summer months when air conditioning can sometimes struggle to keep up with demand.
Renovations are also a great time to make energy-efficient upgrades to all areas of your home, including installing low-flow fixtures in bathrooms, and even upgrading lighting to LEDs.
Seal Your Windows
Your windows can be a surprising cause of your high energy bills. Old or poorly sealed windows can lead to drafts, which make the home’s HVAC system work even harder than normal to keep the house at the proper temperature. As a result, energy bills can be astronomical. Replacing your home’s windows with more energy-efficient ones can save you a considerable amount on heating and cooling, especially if you’re in an area of the country that experiences temperature extremes in the summer or winter months.
Think About Where You Can Use Less Energy
Did you know that more data is created every hour today than in an entire year just 20 years ago? That’s according to the Seagate Rethink Data Survey by IDC. If you’re looking for a way to use some of that data to your advantage, start thinking about where in your home you can safely use less energy than you currently are. Being aware and looking for places to improve are the first steps toward making a lasting change and supporting a brighter, greener future.
These were just a few tips for ways you can make your home a little more energy efficient. The list certainly doesn’t stop here — there’s a whole range of options and choices you make every day that affect the well-being of the environment and ultimately those around us. Start by just being aware of how much energy you’re using, then make it a goal to cut your consumption.
