We all want to make our homes that little bit more eco-friendly. Here are some ways to help reduce your environmental footprint.
We’ve all realized that we need to reduce the amount of energy we use. If we don’t, we run the risk of jeopardizing future generations. Being more conscious about how we use our energy can not only help in the future, but it can also save us money and energy today. If you’ve not yet taken any steps to become more eco-friendly, then now is the time to start!
Saving energy in any form is always a good habit to get into. However, it can be easy to forget when you’re rushing around before work and leaving lights on left, right and centre, or turning the heating up unnecessarily when it gets a bit chilly. If we make a conscious effort to reduce the energy we use, we’ll really be able to see the difference.
Where’s your energy coming from?
You’ll likely use gas or electricity to heat your home, and while this type of energy can be convenient to use, it’s not necessarily the cheapest or most eco-friendly option. If you’re looking for a more sustainable option, consider heating oil by Rix. Not only can heating oil be reused again and again to heat your home quickly and efficiently, but it also works out to be a lot cheaper in the long run. As winter is creeping up on us fast, it makes sense to review your heating options and making any necessary changes to help save money and energy.
Turn off those lights!
It’s easy to be cooking in the kitchen, then be needed in the living room, then rushing to the loo all in five minutes. However, we need to start making it a habit that once we leave a room, the light leaves with us. When you pass through a door, make a mental note to turn off any lights at the switch that you no longer need to use. Don’t forget to enforce this with your family or roommates too!
Insulate your home in good time.
To make sure you keep your home toasty during those colder months, it’s worth investing in some good quality insulation for your roof and walls. Home insulation can help you use even less energy,
as it helps to keep the warm air inside for longer. Usually, heat would be lost through your roof, but with roof insulation, this heat will be able to circulate the home. Windows with double glazing are another great way to keep in that heat and is something that a lot of homes already have these days.
Cook efficiently.
When making your dinner in the evening, you use up energy. Opening the oven door to check on your food is a surprisingly big waste, as the heat your oven has stored up inside to cook your meal is then lost and projected into the room instead. It then needs to use more energy to get back up to the heat it’s been programmed to use. Try and refrain from doing this to save a little energy. Cooking in general will generate heat anyway, so it’s a good way to keep yourself warm!
Recycle wherever possible.
Most products you buy from a shop or supermarket come with packaging you can recycle. It’s also a great idea to buy recycled products wherever you can to further help the environment. When it comes to leftover food, don’t waste it; you can make your own compost! When they say you can recycle almost anything, they mean it. Always check before throwing anything out.
Solar panels.
Solar panels can sometimes be a great investment. Even though they can be a little expensive to install initially, they can be a great money saver in the long term, even if you only have a couple. Do a little research into the pros and cons before you make any purchasing decisions as there may be other factors you didn’t originally think of.
Energy saving lightbulbs.
LED lightbulbs don’t only last a lot longer than your regular lightbulb, but they’re also a lot more efficient too. Switching your lightbulbs to energy saving ones means you’ll be using less power to light up the rooms in your house, reducing the need to replace them more frequently.
Be eco-friendly and do your bit for the environment.
Being eco-friendly in whatever way possible all adds up. It’s important for us all to work together to do our bit for the environment.
Do you have any other sustainable ways to run your home?
Let me know in the comments!
**This post was in collaboration with Rix, heating oil and fuel suppliers to homes and businesses across the UK. For more information or to make an enquiry, visit their website: https://www.rix.co.uk.