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Top Tips For Making Your Home More Eco Friendly

August 7, 2020 0

Saving the environment is a concern that radiates through a number of generations right now, which is why you are seeing more people interested in making their home more eco friendly. If this is something that you have been thinking about doing, but you’re not sure what steps you need to take, it’s a good thing that you have come across this article. Down below, we’re going to be looking at some of the things that you can do to make your home more eco friendly, so keep reading if you want to find out more.

Change Up Insulation

What kind of insulation do you have in your home right now? If you’re not sure, head up to the attic where you will be able to find out what’s up there, or send a professional if you know nothing about this sort of area. In fact, it’s probably better to send a professional to check it out anyway, just in case there is any asbestos up there. They know what safety precautions need to be taken to ensure that they are at the least amount of risk of being impacted by it. If someone in your family has been impacted by the asbestos severely, then you might want to look into contacting mesothelioma attorneys who have strong experience to help you with your case.

Once you have discovered what insulation you have, you can decide whether or not to change it. Depending on what kind of material has been used, you may need to switch to a more eco-friendly option. Take a look online to find out what these alternatives are and then make the choice that suits your home best.

Make Use Of Solar Energy

Another thing that you can do is make use of solar energy. If you live somewhere that is particularly known for having a lot of sunshine, then you are going to see significant improvements on your energy bill, as well as doing your part for the planet. Relying on solar energy is a far more sustainable method than using electric and fossil fuels all the time, so make sure that you seriously consider this. You don’t have to rely solely on this type of energy, of course, but anywhere you can is going to be a significant improvement.

Take A Look At Your Windows

Finally, have you checked your windows lately? If there is anything wrong with the sealant or there is a crack in the window, then you’re going to be letting heat out of your home, meaning you will be using heaters more often. If you can instead make sure that your windows are up to standard, you’re not going to lose as much heat, making your home more eco friendly. Not using things like radiators is always a good option for the environment, so do what you can to make this possible.

We hope that you have found this article helpful, and now have a better understanding of what you can do to make your home more eco friendly. Good luck, and hopefully, you will see the results that you are looking for soon.

5 Ways To Green Your Transportation

August 6, 2020 2

You have to get to work, school, and run your errands one way or another. The decisions that you make about your daily mode of transport has a huge impact on your ecological footprint. There are a lot of things you can do to lessen this impact. Here are my favorites from Green Chic: Saving the Earth in Style by Christie Matheson. Remember to leave your favorites in the comments for a chance to win a copy of the book.

1. Drive Less, Walk More

For every mile that you don’t drive, you keep almost a pound of CO2 out of the atmosphere.

If your job, school, or favorite coffee shop is less than a mile each way, you should try to walk. If you are going to a friend’s house that is nearby, walk or ride your bike.

If you live in an area where everything is within walking distance, you could live without a car or if your family has two cars downsize to one. (I absolutely agree – our family only has one car and it’s easier than you would think.) You can walk, ride your bike, take public transportation, or telecommute.

So what if you need a car to get somewhere outside of the city or to go away for the weekend?

You could get a ride with a friend, rent a car, or take the train or bus. For trips where public transportation isn’t an option, check out ZipCar. You reserve the car online, go straight to the car, open it with your passcode, and drive away. Gas and insurance are included in the price.

2. Keep Your Tires Pumped Up

Check your car manual for the pressure that your tires should be at and fill them to that point. For every 3 pounds of pressure less than what is recommended, you lose 1% of the fuel efficiency.

3. Replace Your Air Filters

Make sure to check your filters monthly and change them every 12k miles. Clean filters can increase your fuel efficiency by 10%.

4. Drive Right

Going from 0-60 in 3 seconds flat can cause you to lose up to 30% of your fuel efficiency. For every 5 miles that you exceed 60 miles an hour, you lose 5-6% fuel efficiency as well.

5. Don’t Be Idle

If you are sitting still with the car running, you are getting 0 miles to the gallon. You can burn through 3/8 of a gallon in a 1/2 hour. If you are going to be sitting idle for longer than 30 seconds, kill the engine.

How do you green your transportation?

Plastic Recycling by Number: What Do Those Numbers Mean?

August 6, 2020 4

Have you set up a garage recycling center? We live in a community where our local recycling center picks up almost all recyclable material for us in a single bin. Some of you may not be so lucky and have to sort by plastic-type. I have broken down the 7 types of plastic to help you sort it out.

#1 Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET):
2-liter soda bottles, microwaveable food dishes, boil in a bag food pouches, egg cartons, and other food containers.

#2 High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE):
Hard thick plastic such as shampoo & conditioner bottles, milk jugs, laundry detergent bottles, and OTC medication bottles.

#3 Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC):
Plastic piping, nonfood packaging, and cooking oil bottles.

#4 Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE):
Bread bags, plastic wrap, squeezable food bottles and grocery bags.

#5 Polypropylene (PP):
Yogurt containers, straws, and syrup bottles.

#6 Polystyrene (PS) A.K.A Styrofoam:
Styrofoam egg cartons, hot beverage cups, and packing peanuts.

#7 Other:
Any plastic made with a resin that isn’t listed above. Check with your local recycling center for more information.

Do you recycle?

3 Eco-Friendly Ways to Renovate Your Home

August 4, 2020 0

After spending so much time at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, you may be among the large portion of homeowners who are itching to renovate their space. However, the construction and remodeling industry can be a wasteful one. Many of the traditional materials or techniques you would use when renovating your home can be harmful to the environment.

Luckily, there are plenty of ways to make your home renovation environmentally-friendly as well as aesthetically-pleasing. Let’s take a look at the eco-friendly ways in which you can renovate your home this year.

Choose Bamboo For Flooring

If you’re taking on a big project like remodeling a room in your home or finishing your basement, which can cost 80% less than buying a bigger home, consider what type of wood you’re choosing for your flooring. Due to rampant industrialization, deforestation is a serious problem around the world and any project that involves using wood can further exacerbate the issue.

Bamboo, however, is durable, moisture-resistant, and grows back faster than wood. There is an abundance of bamboo in the world that you can harvest without destroying its roots. Not only does this make it an environmentally-friendly option, but growing bamboo also requires fewer pesticides. By choosing bamboo, you’ll get chic flooring that is better for your health as well as the health of forests around the world.

Use Low-VOC or VOC-Free Paint

An easy way to be eco-friendly while doing home renovations is to use low-VOC or VOC-free paint for any painting projects you’re doing. Short for volatile organic compounds, VOCs produce molecules that are harmful to the environment as well as to your health. When VOCs are in the interior paint you use, you’ll be negatively affecting your indoor air quality and potentially causing irritation to your eyes and respiratory tract. As acute upper respiratory infections are already among the top five medical diagnoses seen in urgent care centers, you certainly don’t need to impact that bodily system any further.

Other products, like varnishes and disinfectants, also tend to contain VOCs. By being conscious about whether the products and paints you use contain VOCs, you can improve the air quality in your home.

Choose Recycled Metal For Roofing

Replacing your roof is an important home project that will have a lasting effect on your home. You should replace your roof every 30 to 40 years, so the material you choose now will impact your home for decades to come. The material you choose for your roof can also have a long-lasting impact on the environment. One of the most eco-friendly choices for roofing is recycled metal.

By using recycled metal, you can help reduce waste and the need for producing new materials for your roof. Metal roofs have a long life expectancy, meaning that you won’t have to use resources to replace it or repair it frequently. This type of roof can also help keep your home cool because it has reflective properties that bounce the sun’s rays away from the home. This feature is also eco-friendly, as it can help lower your energy usage.

On top of these strategies, there are many other ways you can renovate your home while helping the environment. Whether it’s using recycled materials for your various projects or buying energy-efficient appliances after remodeling your kitchen, there are options for practically every room in the house. All you need to do is put a little forethought into the project and find the right resources to allow your eco-warrior side to shine.

9 Organic Natural Beauty Remedies that You Can Make at Home

August 4, 2020 2

You can pick up organic beauty products at home – but let’s face it, they are expensive. Especially considering that you can make many of them at home using organic ingredients and they will cost you a fraction of the store-bought options. Try these 9 simple, organic natural beauty remedies for sweeter chemical free skin. These will make you look and feel refreshed, all while avoiding harsh chemicals, read on, gather your ingredients and get started.

1. Organic Facial
Whip 1 organic free-range egg for 10 minutes, add 1 tbsp. organic honey and apply to your face for 15 minutes, rinse and pat dry. 
 
2. Organic Exfoliating Scrub
Mash 5 to 7 organic strawberries and massage onto damp skin, rinse, and pat dry.
 
3. Organic Moisturising Bath
Add 1 cup hot water and 2 tbsp, organic honey, to your bath, pat dry. 
 
4. Organic Foot Moisturizer
Soak your piggies in 1/2 cup organic baking soda and water for 10 minutes, rinse and pat dry.
 
5. Organic Moisturizing Facial Mask
Mash 1/2 organic banana and apply to your face for 15 minutes, rinse and pat dry.
 
6. Organically Brighten your Nails
Soak your fingernails in the juice from 1/2 organic lemon once a week.
 
7. Organically Whiten your Smile
Mix equals parts sea salt and organic baking soda and applies to your teeth to whiten and brighten, rinse and then brush as usual.
 
8. Organic Eye Makeup Remover
Use 1 tbsp. organic castor oil, 1 tbsp. organic olive oil and 1 tbsp. organic vegetable oil to a cloth and remove makeup easily, wash, as usual, rinse and pat dry. 
 
9. Organic Facial Scrub
Use either 1/2 cup finely ground organic almonds and 1/2 cup organic soy yogurt or 1 organic avocado and 1/2 cup organic mayo to make a facial scrub. Scrub your face, rinse and pat dry.
 
What natural beauty remedies do you use?
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