It’s no secret that our precious Earth is suffering from the consequences of global warming. The effects may be disregarded by many but the effects on living animals, especially regions, are devastating. Furthermore, many experts report that climate change could impact human civilization in the years to come.Fortunately many professionals are working hard together towards a common goal: to reduce or put an end to the effects of Global warming. This includes professionals, architects and designers coming up with ingenious solutions to help create a healthy and sustainable home for people.
As a homeowner, there are plenty of ways to upgrade your home with little to no impact on the environment. Take a look at these eco-friendly tips.
Renovating
1. Use Low VOC and Recycled Paints
VOC stands for Volatile Organic Compound, which is found in many paints, stains and varnishes. It is this chemical that is responsible for that gassy paint smell. These gases are not only harmful to the environment but to people’s overall health. The accumulation of VOCs, when inhaled, can cause headaches, lung problems and even damages to the lungs and kidneys.
Low VOC paints simply means lower levels of VOC content in the paint and thus lesser gases are released into the air. Zero VOC paint, on the other hand, can be misleading because these still have small amounts of the chemical. Whatever you choose, do your research, ask your painting contractors and look at the labels carefully.
If you want to reduce the toxic waste of paint or even get paint more affordably, you can check out your local recycling centers and ask for recycled paints. If you’re worried about color consistency with recycled paints especially in exterior painting, you can always do the boxing paint technique wherein you mix all the paints you have on hand to get a huge gallon of paint.
Recycled Paints
2. Replace Old Countertops with Greener Countertops
Replacing things when you can refresh or repurpose them is counterintuitive to being eco-friendly. However, if you really can’t find a way to fix an old and broken countertop, replace it with a greener alternative.
- Recycled Glass Tile – most glass tiles are made up of 100% recycled content that could come from broken glass objects like windows, bottles and jars. It also takes less time and energy to re-form glass discards into tiles thus saving on consumption of fossil fuels. Some recycled glass slabs are mixed with cement to form a look similar to granite.
- Reclaimed Wood, Bamboo and FSC-Certified Wood – wood countertops add warmth to kitchens and many hardwoods are good at weathering elements. Bamboo, the star of rapidly renewable resources are a good alternative to most woods and can give you the same look as other expensive hardwoods. If you’re bent on purchasing a more exotic wood countertop, look for FSC-certified woods. Reclaimed wood is another option and a great way to lessen waste instead of ending up on the trash. If it’s lacking shine, you can use food-grade wood finishes.
- Recycled Paper Countertops – composed of recycled paper and non petroleum-based resins and pigments and heated and compressed into a monolithic slab.
Before purchasing recycled items, here are a few things you can research or ask the supplier:
- What is the percentage of the recycled product?
- Is the product made with sustainable materials?
- Was less energy spent on making these products?
- Is the company certified in any way?
Also, take note that these recycled countertops have disadvantages of having low heat tolerance and are more porous so following the supplier’s instructions and guidelines are crucial to maintain it.
Greener Countertops
3. Breathe New Life into Old Objects and Items
Are you absolutely sure that you want to throw away that old mantel? Why not repurpose it into a headboard instead? When you repurpose objects, you lessen waste and get a unique house. Visiting thrift shops, garage sales and houses that are in the middle of being demolished will give you treasure finds that are good additions to the home.
Similarly, if you are disposing of useless items in the house, see what you can take to your local recycling centers or donate to charities. The more waste you reduce and the lesser the waste you produce when you renovate your home, the better.
Old Objects and Items
4. Choose Energy-efficient Appliances
Check your appliances at home. Is it still working properly or is it consuming more electricity than usual? If it’s time to replace it, look for appliances with the Energy Star logo. Additionally, look for appliances with inverter technology that uses less electricity to power up.
Energy-efficient Appliances
5. Take Advantage of Natural Elements
If you’re looking to lessen the use of electricity, solar panels are a great addition to homes if budget permits. Having large windows and taking advantage of natural light is good too. If it gets too hot in the afternoon, remedy this by adding block-out curtains.
You don’t need to have a LEED-certified home but doing little things can have huge impacts on the environment.
