The Eco-Friendly Home: Your Room by Room Guide
While the amount of work that goes into making a house a home is not lost on most individuals, taking the process a step further by going eco-friendly is something many homeowners skip. The truth is, many of the habits you have at home are what affect our planet the most. If you’ve ever wondered how to have an eco-friendly design and lifestyle in your house, use this room by room outline as your guide.
Living Room
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There are several ways to ensure your living room is both cozy and environmentally friendly. When it comes to your living room, the most obvious way to put going green first is with your furniture and decor choices. A great place to start when it comes to your living space is with the carpeting. You can easily obtain soft and inviting carpets for your living room that are made from natural and renewable fibers. Fill the room with air purifying plants that are sure to enhance the environment of your home while also giving our planet some love as well. If you’re looking to make changes on a grander scale when it comes to the design of your home, it doesn’t hurt to look into solar heating for your living room as well. You can even invest in energy saving thermostats that sense when a room is occupied and adjust cool air and heat accordingly in order to conserve as much power as possible.
Kitchen
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When remodeling your kitchen to meet environmentally conscious standards, consider your countertops first. You’d be surprised at how many options there are when it comes to counters that are both stylish, and made from recycled materials. From eclectic refurbished glass to reclaimed wood or bamboo, you’re sure to find an eco-friendly option that catches your eye. For a much less drastic change in your kitchen, try investing in an indoor composter to make better use of your at-home waste. A composter will allow you to reuse your waste as fertilizer for your yard or even for home grown produce!
Bedroom
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The next time you decide to give your bedroom a facelift, don’t be afraid to go green with your renovation options. Consider air purifying paint and long lasting, energy efficient, light bulb options. When shopping for new bedding, purchase from brands that offer sustainable, organic, comforters and sheets. You can even find eco-friendly mattress options to make your entire bed an earth friendly oasis.
Closets
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Chances are the majority of your closets at home are filled with items you don’t need. The earth friendly way to go about changing this is to attempt to donate what you no longer need or want, and purchase new items from your local thrift store. Donating your old items will increase their lifespan and prevent them from ending up in earth harming landfills. The next time you’re doing a closet clean out, consider donating the old items to your thrift store, and then doing your shopping from a consignment shop as well. Whether you go online and utilize digital thrift stores like thredUP, or browse locally, your closet will feel a lot greener with some thrifted items in it.
Bathroom
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The majority of what makes your bathroom harmful to the planet has to do with water consumption and the products you fill the space with in general. Consider adding in a bathroom sink built specifically for saving on water, as well as a shower head that does the same. Be mindful of how long you do keep the water running, as well as which parts of your grooming routine might not be putting the environment first. Try to purchase cruelty-free, and even vegan toiletries as these help both animals and the earth.
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