If you are ready for a lifestyle change, would like to reduce your environmental impact, or your carbon footprint, maybe do something for the environment, there are plenty of ways you can get started on a budget. There are various areas of your home where you might be wasting resources, polluting the environment, or using things that are hard to recycle. Below you will find a few tips on how to make small green changes make a difference long term for you and the future generations.
Insulation
We lose a lot of heat and cold air if our home is not well insulated. You will need to check your walls for cavities, cracks, and gaps, and make sure that the structural issues are addressed before you can tackle the rest of the house. Chances are that if you live in an older house, your insulation is not as efficient as it could be. You can invest in secondary insulation boards to save money on your heating and stop heating the street.
Loft
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If you are ready to start a green lifestyle, it is also important that you tackle the area where you lose the most heat; your loft. You can get a thick insulation layer installed for free, if you successfully apply for homeowner grants and get government funding. You can insulate the roof and the loft space, as well. This will make it cheaper and easier to keep the warmth in your home and make your house more sustainable.
Windows and Doors
In case you still have single pane windows, it might be time to modernize your home. While changing them will require a professional to install and fit the new units, the latest designs last for decades. It might even be worth to look into installment loans no credit check to finance your investment. After all, new and more efficient windows will increase the value of your home for many years to come, so your investment will pay off.
Heating
An inefficient HVAC system can burn a hole in your pocket and increase the carbon footprint of your home as well. Make sure that you deal with this issue first. You might get solar heating or a heat pump that will use much less energy than traditional furnaces. Depending on your climate and the size of your home, you can also power your heating with natural gas. Talk to an HVAC installation expert to get an overview of the different green heating options and the costs associated with them.
Natural Light
The more natural light you allow to enter your home the better you will feel and the less you will need to spend on electricity. You might also want to invest in solar powered lamps in the house, which can charge during the day and light up your room at night without having to use non-renewable energy. You can open up your space, get rid of the dark and depressing corridors, install roof lighting, or glass bricks over the door.
Waste Management
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One of the things we need to teach our kids today is the impact our plastic use has on the living environment. If you have a recycling service at your home or nearby, make sure that you collect and separate the different types of waste so everything can be recycled that is suitable for being reused. On the other hand, you might want to create a compost bin as well, so you can avoid using artificial and synthetic fertilizers in your garden and start growing your organic vegetables.
Renewable Energy
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There are plenty of ways of installing devices that will create renewable energy for your home. You can get solar panels installed on your roof, provided that the structure of your home can support the weight. It is always better to talk to an expert to find out more about the different options. You might even set up a small wind turbine at the bottom of your garden, and generate some electricity that way. You will, however, need to make sure that you are not damaging the environment and endangering nesting birds in the area.
Energy Saving Features
If you want to keep an eye on the energy use of your home every day. This means that you have to avoid wasting it whenever you can. A smart thermostat will make sure that you always have the right temperature and are using your heating and air conditioning system in the most efficient way, and you are not heating an empty home. Some of your devices can even be controlled through a smart app, so if you have to do overtime at the office you can change the time when your heating is turned on.
Sustainable Materials
When renovating your home, it is important that you focus on long term. Avoid materials that are hard to recycle and are likely to end up in the landfill sites or toxic waste management systems. You might be better off buying a real goose feather blanket instead of one that is filled with synthetic materials that will be hard to reuse. Likewise, when choosing your furniture and your kitchen units, try to focus on natural materials, and upcycle instead of buying cheap.
Toxic Free Cleaning
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We flush down too many chemicals and toxins the drain, and these all end up in the sewage system. Unfortunately, water treatment plants are not able to get rid of all chemicals, and we will end up meeting them again, including medication flushed down the toilet. You can live a greener and healthier life if you switch to toxic and chemical free, natural cleaning products. Bicarbonate soda, lemon juice, and apple cider vinegar leave your bathroom, kitchen and just as shiny as the top brand cleaning products.
Starting with a green lifestyle should not mean that you have to make huge drastic changes. Focus on one area of your home at a time, and you will be motivated to go on and improve your life while reducing your carbon footprint.
Roaming free - tales of wanderlustbykelley 
