How to be Green at Home Guide

Eco Living - How To Be Green At Home And Save Money

With energy bills rising, now is the time to take advantage of the latest eco-friendly living techniques.

Even the smallest changes in our behaviour can make a big difference!

Here are just a few easy practical tips to help home based mums reduce your resource usage, save money and help our living planet.

Getting the kids involved

Looking for a sure fire way to get your kids to eat their vegetables? Let them Grow Their Own! Read more...

Five Easy Tips For Eco-Living and How To be Green At Home

Number 1 - Insulate Your Home
Improving the insulation around your home can seriously reduce the need for, and cost of, your heating in the winter months. An incredible amount of heat is lost through uncovered windows, cracks, crevices and poorly insulated attics. Try to close the blinds and curtains to conserve heat, and use draft excluders and sealant to seal draft-prone areas such as the spaces under external doors. (But remember to always leave standard house air vents free from obstruction and uncovered). This is perhaps the biggest way to go green and save money this winter. 

Number 2 Be Water Smart
More and more we are hearing that our water is precious. This is true, so we can't afford to take it for granted. There are many practical steps you can take to conserve water such as:

                -    Turn the tap off while brushing your teeth.
            -    Take showers instead of baths.
            -    You can also install a rainwater tank, even in urban areas, which will collect                      water for use in the garden or washing machine. 
            -    There are also devices to help you reduce your water consumption around the                      home such as using front loading washing machines, dual flush toilets, aerated                  taps and power shower-heads all mean less water is used in the home.

If you pay water rates, this will mean a reduced water bill!, and more importantly it means we only take our fair share from the natural environment.

Number 3 Bring Your Own Go Green Bag - No more plastic!
Every plastic bag we use takes hundreds of years to break down, and sadly most of them end up in landfill or in our oceans, contributing to the deaths of turtles and other marine creatures. The solution is simple - go green and bring your own bag. The idea is so popular now you can pick up a ‘Bag for Life’ at most department stores and supermarkets and they cost very little (only a dollor of pound or two). A handy tip is to leave a bag for life in your car so that next time you have to stop and pick up bread and milk unexpectedly, you won't need a plastic bag!

Number 4 Grow Your Own
By growing your own seasonal fruit and vegetables in your garden or on your balcony you not only be receiving the benefits of higher quality, more nutritious food, you will also be helping the environment. Transportion, processing and other costs associated with bringing in unseasonal or artificially ripened food to the supermarket represents less value to you and the environment.

Number 5 Car Pool, Walk or Ride a Bike
CO2 toxic emissions are one of the major factors contributing to global warming and photochemical smog. According to the RAC 80 percent of commuters travel in their own cars. Do the right thing and carpool or go green and work from home. Ask yourself - do you really need to drive to work, school, the store? Could you share the trip with a friend or organise a car pool? How about taking a walk instead and getting the added benefit of exercise for you and your kiddies. Riding a bike is fun and takes you back to when you were younger.

If you absolutely positively must drive - how about going green by choosing a hybrid next time you change your car, or a more fuel efficient vehicle?

How To be Green At Home Guides - Did You Know?

Insulate Your Fridge: Did you know that your fridge gobbles up 8% of your annual househole energy consumption? Solution: Insulate the outside (corkboard, carpet) and check that all seals are working.

Air Your Dry Cleaning: Dry cleaning uses perchloroethylene (perc.), which is harmful to the environment and living things. Always remove dry cleaning wrapping  and let your clothes breathe before hanging them in your wardrobe or wearing. Look for, and switch to, a perc-free dry cleaning service near you.

Unplug your Mobile-phone chargers: Mobile-phone chargers alone account for between 35kg to 70kg of carbon per person per year.


www.neutralhome.com is your gateway to sites on the Internet for carbon neutral homes! Browse our resources or just try the search. More info...

useful links and information:

www.earthplatform.com
Check out Earthplatform the environmental website that informs you about our natural planet and the emerging threats to our world today. With subjects like deforestation, global warming, endangered species and environmental pollution. Earthplatform is also a  great website promoting awareness about our natural environment, wildlife conservation, climate change and sustainable energy.

home based mums, work at home mums, work from home mums, ideas for a small business from home, mums start small business, mums home based business ideas, home based mum, work from home mom, work at home mom, work at home moms, work from home moms, home based moms, home based mom