It’s no secret that people are now putting much more an emphasis on being green, out of a desire to support the planet more, rather than harm it.
More so than ever, we’re realizing that, just because someone wants to be green, that doesn’t mean they have to sacrifice anything when it comes to making their home exactly the way they want to, and there are many ways one can opt to do both at the same time.
In this article, we will be talking about a few of the creative ways homeowners are managing to make their homes greener and eco-friendlier while at the same time being able to find ways to improve their homes without making any sacrifices.
Wood Is Both Green & Stylish
People are being to be more selective with the brands and companies they purchase furniture, flooring, and soft furnishings from. Assurances about sustainability and eco-friendly policies have become sought after.
There are many brands and companies who have begun to embrace and commit to this new criterion and the consumer’s ethical turn.
For instance, when looking for cheap laminate floors, an ‘eco approved’ stamp appears in the product description to signify Wood Floor Warehouse’s environmental concerns and their policy which commits to sustainability.
Consumers being able to easily identify such things is important.
In other instances, brands that use cotton, metal, and other recyclable and sustainably sourced materials produce similar receipts to prove their eco-friendly stance.
Packaging, too, is the focus of scrutiny, with many companies pivoting to non-plastic alternatives to package and deliver products to consumers so as not to contribute to the non-biodegradable material heading to landfills around the world.
Upcycling Furniture
Upcycling furniture has become a popular, fun means of breathing new life into aging furniture, meaning it doesn’t end up in a landfill nor do the owners need to purchase new furniture contributing to a potentially unfair supply chain and packaging to waste.
There’s a sentimental element to it too. Furniture that has been in the family for ages, which needs a bit of certifiable Tender, Love, and Care can be revived, extending its place with their family and their home.
Following this, there’s the idea that people have become custodians of homes, gardens, and, indeed, furniture, rather than owners.
It puts the furniture on a much larger, historical scale, and ensures the current custodian thinks of the next custodian, giving the furniture the best chance of being loved and loved again.
Styles change, of course. Assuming furniture that is from a different year, decade, or century cannot – simply out of a sense of preservation, of a duty to its original character – is beginning to pass.
The More Nature, the Better
Something which is a little easier than swapping out wood furniture and flooring for a more sustainably produced alternative is simply making your home embrace nature just that little bit more.
This can be done in many ways, with most people choosing to buy plants and flowers to put around their home, opt to get larger windows to increase the amount of sunlight that reaches inside the house, and just overall going for that natural atmosphere.
Houseplants can help contribute to reducing pollution in your room, offering you the chance to breathe cleaner air.
This is a different avenue for climate-concern expression and having a home that feels much more alive and in touch with nature, embrace can make one feel much more at ease with nature, which is in dire need with how things are currently going on our planet.
Installing Green Energy Solutions
Green energy solutions have become residential and accessible. Governmental schemes and initiatives have made installing solar panels, air source heat pumps, small wind turbines, and biomass heating, for instance, much more achievable.
Additionally, having grass on your roof adds another means of reducing energy costs. Its insulating qualities cut heating bills in the winter and its cooling qualities cuts AC bills in the summer. It’s a versatile option.
If one takes all of the points we mentioned throughout this article and puts them into practice, you yourself will have no issue when trying to become more eco-friendly without sacrificing the things you love.
Sure, there may be certain things you may have to stop purchasing, and we are not saying going completely green will be easy.
However, going green is extremely important during this day and age, and you will find out for yourself that you may even feel better once you are doing your part to save the world too.