6 Ways to Make Your Home Eco-Friendly

One of the most common ways to begin the journey of creating an eco-friendly home is to utilise reusable grocery bags. Single-use plastic bags are estimated to take up to one thousand years to break down, ending up in landfills or the ocean and disrupting both the environment and wildlife.

Not only do plastic bags damage the environment because of where they end up after use, but the actual manufacturing of the product is also damaging. Natural gas and oil are used in the production of plastic bags, which depletes these non-renewable resources and releases toxins into the air and water sources.

Reusable bags are not only better for the environment, but they are more effective. They can hold more items, are more durable, and can be washed, offering a more hygienic option.

Composting keeps vegetable matter out of landfills. When organic matter decays underground, without the presence of oxygen, it releases methane gas. Methane is much more potent than carbon dioxide, and contributes to greenhouse gas emissions that damage the ozone layer and facilitates global heating.

In addition to minimising methane, composting is also beneficial for the soil. It helps the soil hold moisture, thus reducing the need for water. Compost also serves as a natural and organic fertiliser for your garden, therefore decreasing the need for manufactured fertilisers that could contain harmful chemicals.

For situations where reusable bags aren’t feasible, such as in the case of rubbish bags, using biodegradable options is a great eco-friendly alternative. Biodegradable rubbish bags or bin liners release fewer emissions than regular plastic, are non-toxic, and use less petroleum during production.

Your local council can usually recycle materials like cardboard food packaging, empty glass jars and bottles, and plastic bottles. Check out the rules in your area and make an effort to separate recyclable items from your usual household waste.

Much like reusable shopping bags, rechargeable batteries allow you to reuse the same product hundreds of times. To recharge a battery, all you need is a simple battery charger. The cost and energy of recharging batteries is more efficient than producing single-use batteries.

LED bulbs should also be a staple in any eco-friendly home. They don’t contain any harmful elements like mercury. They are also extremely energy-efficient and don’t need to be replaced as often as regular bulbs.

Changing your fossil fuel boiler to an eco-friendly wood pellet boiler or wood chip boiler is also a significant way to make your home eco-friendly.

High-quality wood pellets and wood chips are effective and safe fuel alternatives for any home. Wood chips are cost-efficient when compared to fossil fuel while being much more environmentally friendly.

Check out our Woody Fuel section, to learn more about the benefits of wood chip and wood pellets for eco-friendly homes.

Of course, there are hundreds of other small changes you can make in an effort to be more “green”. We hope you’ll take some of these on board, and challenge you to find some other ways for yourself!