As citizens of the world, it is our responsibility to reduce our carbon footprint. By tweaking your lifestyle, you can make your home greener and contribute to a more sustainable world. You can easily make a few changes to the way that you operate your home and become more earth friendly.
Improvements for your bathroom and kitchen
Each room in your home may be responsible for contributing waste and contaminants to the environment. Evaluate each area of your residence and make a few simple changes to help improve your environmental impact.
Your kitchen is a integral part of your daily life. There may be a great deal of waste that occurs in this space. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, you actually may be wasting more water by washing your dishes by hand. If you do not have a dishwasher, invest in an energy-efficient unit. This can help you save water.
In addition, your garbage may have a number of recyclable items inside. Always break down any cardboard, paper products, cans or glass and recycle these items. You can also start a compost pile for a garden or any landscaping around your home. Use food scraps, tea bags or egg shells to help add nitrogen and carbon to your soil, according to Eartheasy.com.
Your bathroom is another room that may be behind a great deal of water consumption. According to the EPA, approximately 30 percent of a home's water use occurs in this area of the house. Toilets are often the culprit behind this. Consider investing in a composting toilet or a WaterSense bowl. You can save on your water bill and help contribute to a greener world.
Cleaning products
Some of the harsh chemicals in cleaning products may be dangerous and harmful to the environment. Consider a natural alternative that still keeps your home sparkling and beautiful. Eco Cycle recommended using baking soda to deodorize, and when added to warm water, it serves as an effective cleaning element.
White vinegar or lemon juice are great cleaning alternatives in the kitchen. They both cut through stubborn kitchen grease, and lemon has a pleasant scent.
To create a general household cleaner from safe ingredients, mix baking soda, borax, vinegar and water. Borax is a disinfectant, and you can find it near laundry soaps at the store.
Ilchi Lee is a proud advocate of a peaceful, sustainable world. Improving the world around us is crucial to that vision. Living a greener life at home can help enhance our lives. How can you make changes to live a green lifestyle?