The world has finally embraced what it means to care about the planet. Eco-friendly is no longer seen as a choice for those who want to be a bit ‘out there’ and a bit separate from society. The general attitude towards anybody trying to save the planet in the 70’s up until around 2010 was that of boredom, and if you tried to promote living in a sustainable way you were labelled a ‘hippy’.
Within the last decade, there has been a huge awakening for society, with shocking statistics about the environment appearing on social media, in documentaries, on TV, on the radio, and in published interviews with celebrities. The starkest information released recently is probably the fact that we are now in a climate emergency and if we do not stop the planet warming by 2 degrees within the next decade, the climate will be unsaveable.
With such scary information being released regularly, and a clear increase in extreme weather being seen across the globe, being eco-aware is now an expectation for anybody who wants the best possible future for their family.
If you’re not yet convinced, take a look at Our Planet for a beautifully made, but oh-so eye-opening display of exactly how much climate damage has already been done.
Change Starts In The Home
A vast amount of change starts in the home when it comes to doing your bit for the planet. Recycling, cutting out plastic, eating less meat and dairy, using less energy – there are so many small changes that amount to a large overall change when it comes to your communities impact on the environment. You can find out more about being more eco-friendly every day in this handy article.
Could Change Start With Your Home?
Around 34% of greenhouse gas emissions in the UK come from emissions from buildings and around 64% of those emissions come from domestic buildings. With statistics like these in mind, it is no surprise that there is a bit of a sustainable home revolution occurring. You have tiny homes right at the forefront of sustainable living, with the spotlight on that niche lifestyle enhanced with popular Netflix programme Tiny House Nation. If living in a tiny home isn’t for you, perhaps you’re in the market for building a sustainable home.
The definition of a sustainable home means that it should use all natural resources available to make it. So there are no strict rules, but you should be able to justify the label if you’re investing in this kind of market.
There are many reasons a person may look to build a sustainable home such as:
- A strong desire to reduce personal environmental impact
- A reduction in energy bills
- Benefitting from grants available from the government for creating renewable energy
- Becoming part of the sustainable home community
- The desire to live a different way of life
- The desire for a future-proofed home
You may be concerned that building a sustainable home will be more expensive than building a standard home but it can be done on a budget. You can read about some really cool examples of building a sustainable home on a budget here.
Sustainable Home Adjustments For The Home You Already Have
If you can’t build a sustainable home from scratch, you can still make a HUGE difference to the environment with some savvy adjustments to the place you live now. Here are some great examples of sustainable home adjustments that go a long way to reducing your environmental impact on the earth:
Switch To A Solid Roof Conservatory
Switching to a solid roof conservatory like those available from https://www.solidroofconservatory.com/ is a great move towards having a more sustainable home. A conservatory with a glass or polycarbonate roof is not as thermally efficient it could be. You may notice your conservatory is too hot in summer and too cold in winter. A solid roof on this valued part of the home can keep the temperature more regulated.
Reduced Water-Use Tech
Water consumption is an issue for the environment because of the energy needed to treat and pump water. You can easily use less water with very easy changes in the home. Firstly, check if you have any leaks so that literal water wastage isn’t an issue. Then, look at times you can reduce how much water you are using. Maybe you can take a shower and not a bath, maybe you can stop running the tap when you aren’t using the water. Maybe you can switch to special water reducing technology to help you use less water without even noticing.
Smart Meters
Smart meters can help you regulate how much energy you are using. You can use them to monitor your energy usage and then to time when the heating comes on or goes off depending on when you need your home to be warm.
Renewable Energy
A biomass boiler, ground source heat pumps, solar panels and even wind-energy or hydro-energy could suit your property depending on how much space you have and the style of property you have. The Energy Savings Trust has a useful page on renewables and renewable energy to help you understand more about this fantastic eco-friendly home adjustment.
Insulation
There are lots of ways to insulate your home enabling you to reduce your carbon footprint and reduce your heating bills. In many cases, you can increase the value of your home too. You can find out more about insulating your home here. TIP: Get free insulation grants from professional energy grants specialists if your home qualifies. Households can save more energy to cut heating bills by insulating their home properly.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has” – Margaret Mead
Sustainable properties are likely to become the new normal in the future, either built from the ground up or through adjustments made by eco-conscious homeowners just like you. Even the smallest changes can make a difference, and we all have the power to do our bit, even if it is just a little bit to begin with. Change starts in the home, and hopefully, it can start in your home today now you know just how easy it is.
*collaborative post
