Sustainability is a virtuous ambition for households in the UK. Green concerns are more prescient than ever, as climate change continues to worsen and the true environmental cost of modern living continues to bare itself. Green living has become somewhat vogue, and in a number of distinct ways too – from owning or renting allotment space to making fundamental shifts in at-home consumption.
While no one household can make enough of a difference to a global crisis, the sustainability mission remains a smart and shrewd direction. What are five simple ways you could incorporate green thinking into your own home life?
Sustainable Cleaning Products
Cleaning products are an obvious start point here, given the harmful chemicals that reside in most. A great many powerful cleaning products can be created from household items, and stored in glass spray bottles – both avoiding the dangerous contents of shop-bought cleaners and the environmental danger of the plastic they’re delivered in.
Glass spray bottles are an excellent example of reusability here, too. No more kitchen roll or ‘blue roll’; try instead to use reusable dishcloths and towels to carry out your basic cleaning tasks, and handwash them after the fact.
Solar Power
While not strictly energy-efficient, the installation of solar panels can still reduce your reliance on the National Grid to zero. Solar panels allow you to harvest your own electricity, and even sell it back to the grid if you receive too much. With solar panels, you can be greedy with your electricity usage – after all, the sun isn’t quite going anywhere.
Water Conservation
Water conservation is a major part of ecological decision-making, and especially important in what has turned out to be a cavalier time for water companies in the UK. Even small changes to your water consumption habits can make a huge difference, and not just to your wallet (at least, where metered water connections are concerned).
Making small changes to the amount of water you use will not only benefit your utility bills but also will help to reduce the amount of energy used. Something as small as taking a shorter shower can have a huge impact overall.
Energy-Efficient Appliances
Of course, not all households can fit solar panels – and the ones that can might only be able to subsidise their energy usage with them. Here, energy-efficient appliances can be a godsend. Energy-efficient washing machines might use less electricity, but also less water, giving you bonus eco-savings.
Recycle, Repurpose And Reuse
This last point is an evergreen one, and one which is likely already a part of your everyday routine. Recycling is enshrined as a public service today, but you can take the principle one step further. Before throwing anything away, ask yourself what can be done with it instead – upcycling included. Conscious consumption and disposal are the key here!