Top eco tips for your home

Top eco tips - This how to article, looks at the top 10 list of priorities when designing your home with an eco twist. Read on to find out some changes you can make. Make an action plan, set out to concentrate on one of the top eco tips per week or per month - you'll be on your way to a greener home in no time.

1. Reduce your buying habits

Opt out of consumerism, reject buying for trend and fashion. Only buy new materials, products and items for the home when necessary. Lower the demand for virgin (new) materials used in production. Don’t buy disposable items, look for high quality, performance and durability – consider the overall lifespan of the item. How many times will you need to replace it and throw the old one away? Your top 10 guide to going green at home

Your top 10 guide to going green at home

2. Reduce waste

By reducing the amount of things you buy, this helps limit the amount of waste you create in your home; packaging, unwanted products, food waste etc. Reduce the amount you throw away – meaning furniture, furnishings, fittings, accessories, gadgets and electronics. What can you reuse, repair, renovate, recycle and refurbish? Help lower the demand on landfill sites – an environmental nightmare!

3. Reduce & save energy

Be mindful of the amount of water, electricity and fuel you use at home. All created using non renewable resources which create huge amounts of carbon emissions. The biggest offenders are heating, cooling, ventilation, appliances, electronics and artificial lighting.

4. Reduce synthetics in your home

Made from petroleum based materials these toxic substances are found in carpet, paint, varnish, textiles, sealant, adhesive, plastic casing. The manufacturing process uses phenomenal amounts of energy and releases carbon emissions. In your home these chemical substances offgas hazardous VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and lower the quality of air, causing risk to health.

5. Reduce the amount of space you need

Large houses need far more energy and resources during construction, occupancy, renovation and demolition. Do you use only 20% of your living space? Are there any areas rarely used, yet still heated, lit and furnished? Something to consider…… The amount of space you need is probably less than you think.

6. Materials & products

Choose materials and products that have a low impact on the environment e.g. sustainable timber, renewable natural materials, recycled content, reuse & renovate second hand items, ability to recycle after use, resource efficiency and long life spans.

7. Recycle

Anything you throw away goes into landfill sites. Recycle as much as you can from aluminium cans, glass and plastic bottles to giving your old furniture to charity shops.

8. Natural lighting

Maximise the amount of natural light in your home to reduce the amount of energy and resources you use as well as for your own wellbeing. Consistent natural light increase productivity, lifts your spirits and gives a general feeling of comfort.

9. Improve air quality

Indoor air pollution can be 5 times the concentration of outdoor pollution. It is broken down into: combustion pollutants, biological pollutants, VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and heavy metal pollutants. Keep your home well ventilated and humidity under control with natural and mechanical ventilation methods to improve the air quality and lower the hazard to your health.

10. Buy locally

Choose local retailers who stock products from local manufacturers using regional materials and local labour. This will help reduce the energy used for production and need for transportation which are huge contributors to the carbon footprint of a product (embodied energy).

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