More and more households are looking for new ways to go green as environmental awareness continues to grow among homeowners and people in general. Green industries are popping up everywhere, and it seems like eco-friendliness is the next big industrial push. But you don’t need high tech solutions to go green in your home. There are a lot of simple ways you can help the environment and make a big difference without costing you much. Here are just 3 examples.
Stop Using Hardwood
Are you looking to install wooden floors or a new fence to replace your old battered one? Why not opt for an eco-friendly alternative to traditional hardwood fencing and flooring materials? Bamboo has become one of the hottest trends in home remodeling, and you can even be environmentally conscious by adding tropical decor. When it comes to flooring and fencing especially, bamboo can look great, and it is three times as strong as most hardwoods. Bamboo, which is not a wood but a kind of grass, is eco-friendly as a building material because it grows incredibly rapidly. Bamboo shoots can be harvested without damaging the root systems of the plant, which just sprouts bigger shoots when they old ones are cut down. Bamboo forests can reach maturity in 4 to 6 years, whereas hardwood forests can take even 100 years or more to grow back after being cut down.
Get New Appliances
One of the best ways to help save energy is simply by replacing old, energy guzzling appliances with new, energy efficient models that bear the “Energy Star” logo. Appliances account for about 18% of a household’s energy use, with the refrigerator being the top energy hog. According to Energy Star, if even just 1 in 10 homes switch to all energy efficient appliances, it would be the equivalent of planting 1.7 million acres of new trees.
Use Less Paper
Paper accounts for a lot of the world’s waste. But today, you can buy everything from toilet paper to greeting cards made from 100% recycled paper. You can also help combat paper pollution by buying unbleached paper, which does not produce harmful dioxins that are byproducts of bleached paper. Another thing to do is simply take your name off junk mail lists. 44% of all junk mail just becomes unread, unopened paper waste.