Top 4 Eco-Friendly Home Improvement Trends

It’s so important to be more eco-friendly in every aspect of life. That doesn’t just mean the things people do and where they work – although that is important to consider – but also where people live. If the property you live in is currently less than eco-friendly, perhaps because it’s old and needs some updates, then it’s certainly worth looking into the things you can do to improve the situation. With that in mind, here are some ideas to get you started so you can ensure your home is as environmentally friendly as possible.

Solar Energy

Any time a form of energy is used, it contributes to the poor health of the planet. However, humans can’t go without heating, electricity, lighting, and so on. So what can be done? The best thing to do is to invest in solar energy. When you have solar energy, you won’t have to use any unsustainable fossil fuels, which are bad for the environment, and which are quickly running out.

Having solar panels installed is not an overnight fix, but once you have them and start using the energy they produce (and potentially selling some of that energy back to the electricity networks, making some money in the process), you’ll slowly be able to ensure your home is much more eco-friendly.

Energy Efficient Lighting

The energy people use is by far the worst element of being neglectful of the environment. Therefore, as well as solar lighting – or instead of if your budget won’t quite stretch – it’s a great idea to install energy efficient lighting. With electricity costs rising and the need to use lighting a constant one, switching to more eco-friendly bulbs, which last longer and save you money and be environmentally friendly, is an ideal option.

Home Office

Something else that causes problems with the environment is our commute to work – or travelling to anywhere, come to that. The work commute, however, is particularly bad because it happens too often. Whether you drive or use public transport, you contribute to pollution twice a day, every day. Of course, you might opt to cycle or walk, but not everyone can do that, and not everyone wants to. The solution, then, is to install a home office and work from home.

Your home office could be in a spare bedroom, it could be in a custom-built shed in the garden, it could even be in your garage; if you install retractable garage doors, you can make a comfortable space there, separate from the house. Assuming you can work from home at least some of the time, if not all of the time, this will save you adding to the pollution. The more people who can do this, the bigger the impact will be.

Use Recycled Items

If you need to buy something for your home, whether it’s furniture, art, or anything else, try to buy something recycled rather than brand new. If you can’t find a recycled object that will work, look for second-hand items instead. Whatever you do, try to avoid new things if possible.

The fewer new things you buy, the less ends up in landfill, and since landfill is a major issue when it comes to being eco-friendly, this is a good tactic to stick to.