The ongoing climate crisis has had some adverse impacts on communities across the globe. In these uncertain times, we all need to do our bit to try to reduce our carbon footprint and effectively minimise our overall impact on the planet.
As a homeowner, there are countless things that you can do to reduce the overall carbon footprint of your household. Generally speaking, we need to find ways to reduce our energy consumption, move away from fossil fuels, reduce your household’s waste production, and support sustainable practices in every room in your home. Even the smallest changes to your daily habits can have a big impact moving forward, so it’s important that you act now.
Let’s take a look at just a few ways that you and your family can significantly reduce the carbon footprint of your household.
Update Appliances
If you have older white good appliances, it might be a wise idea to update them and swap them out for more modern models that are more energy-efficient. Investing in a new washing machine, refrigerator, dryer or oven for example, can greatly reduce the amount of energy that your household uses on a daily basis.
You can assess the energy efficiency of your appliances by checking their energy star rating. Appliances with a higher energy star rating will be more energy-efficient and cheaper to operate, saving your household a lot of money and resources in the long run.
Use Less Water
Taking long showers, and leaving your faucets running unnecessarily when brushing your teeth or doing the washing up, are all wasteful actions that are most certainly not good for the planet. It takes a huge amount of energy and resources to treat water so that it becomes fresh, potable water that households can use when cooking or showering.
Heating your water uses even more energy, resulting in a hugely unnecessary expenditure of both water and gas or electricity, depending on what kind of hot water system your home is fitted with. Try to make a habit out of taking shorter showers and turning your faucets off when brushing your teeth to start making a difference from the get-go.
Green Energy
Green energy is just as reliable as energy that is produced using fossil fuels. It’s also just as affordable and sometimes can be even cheaper. If your home’s roof receives full sun during daylight hours, you should absolutely consider installing solar panels on your home so that you can harness the sun’s energy and save even more on your energy bills over the foreseeable future.
It’s also important to note that many homeowners don’t know where their energy comes from. Be sure to check with your provider to find out what percentage, if any, of your energy comes from renewable sources.
Improve Your Insulation
Heating or cooling your home is quite an energy-intensive task and it costs you money each time that you do it. To ensure that you are not losing energy through your wall and ceilings, it’s highly recommended that you take the time to update your insulation. Adding extra insulation to your attic roof and walls is a great way to keep your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter without having to keep your heating and cooling systems running 24/7. Updating your insulation will require an initial upfront investment, but you can be sure that it will pay for itself over time.
Start Taking Steps To Lower Your Carbon Footprint Right Away
Following the tips above, you can take action now to start reducing your carbon footprint. If we all make small changes to how we live, we can ensure that the future of our planet looks more positive for the next generation and all the generations that are to come.
