Let’s face the facts: we as human beings owe our glorious planet the respect of making some environmentally efficient changes to our daily lives and the homes we live in. Whether or not you’re are buying or
selling a home, it is a wise idea to jump on the wagon and join the many millions of people who are making everyday changes and energy saving upgrades. With the more and more people becoming environmentally conscious these days, you are sure to please any potential buyer who may be interested in buying your home. In this article (part I of II) I am going to discuss some of the inexpensive, yet very effective ways you can reduce your carbon foot print as well as stay within a reasonable budget.
-Weather Stripping: adds insulation and will help lower the cost of your monthly energy bill.
-Change your light bulbs: either to LED or fluorescent.
-Install a programmable thermostat: you’ll be able to control the temperature of your house even when you are away.
-Ceiling fans: install them in each room to help circulate air and cool your home
-Upgrade to a water-saving shower head: cheaper and extremely efficient.
Here are some ideas for things you can personally do for yourself and your family around your home:
-Wash clothes in cold water: gets the job done and saves a lot of energy.
-Use a toaster oven when re-heating leftovers rather than the conventional oven which uses way more energy.
-Use cloth napkins/towels: paper products are overly used and wasted.
-Recycle: anything you can.
-If you have a dishwasher: use it when it is full. It uses less water than it would take for you to wash them all by hand.
-Enjoy the natural lighting instead of always keeping lights turned on.
-Compost: enriches the soil and fertilizes your plants
-Plant a tree! Try and eliminate as much grass as you can by planting native plants and shrubs. Less grass means less h20 being wasted.
With just a few minor changes to your home you can make a dramatic difference in the amount of energy you consume. You’ll not only have obvious lower monthly running costs, you’ll have a much healthier environment to live in for you and your loved ones. If your intentions for going green and adding some of these upgrades were for reasons being:
selling your house, you’ll be quite satisfied with the impression this makes on the potential buyers. You’re setting a good example by making the effort and contribution to our ever-changing environment.