Turn your home in Chestermere Green!
Reducing your carbon footprint is not only good for the environment, but it’s good for your wallet too! Here are 10 simple ways you can help save the planet and some money in the process.
1. Use cloth bags when shopping. Plastic bags wind up in landfills and take thousands of years to biodegrade. Nowadays, many grocery stores also charge for plastic bags. Do your part to reduce waste, and save a few dollars, by remembering to bring re-usable cloth bags with you to the grocery store, pharmacy and on other shopping trips.
2. Become water efficient. Running water, or using too much of it unnecessarily, is not only bad for the environment but results in costly water bills. Don’t keep the tap running while you brush your teeth, and only run the washing machine or dishwasher when they are full. Also consider replacing your toilet with a dual-flush model and installing a low-flow shower head, both of which can significantly reduce your indoor water use.
3. Ditch the bottled water. Switch to a water filter jug and also get yourself a re-useable water bottle for when you’re on the go. This will help to eliminate the number of plastic bottles that are thrown away in the garbage only to wind up in landfills, and will be significantly less expensive than constantly purchasing bottled water.
4. Slow down on the road. While driving on the highway, avoid quickly accelerating and then suddenly braking. By doing so, you can greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions—not to mention get better mileage on your car, which means lower fuel costs, too.
5. Park the car. Even better than driving more slowly is to take a break from it! Whenever possible, use alternative modes of transportation such as walking, biking, taking the bus or carpooling.
6. Make your own house cleaning products. Oftentimes, vinegar, lemon juice, and water are all the ingredients you need to clean many surfaces in the home. So while you may already be using eco-friendly cleaning products, which are better for the environment and your health, if you go the extra mile by making your own, you can also save yourself a tonne of cash.
7. Purchase items in bulk. For items you require a constant supply of—such as laundry detergent, shampoo, cereal, and rice—try to buy the largest size whenever possible. These bulk items use less packaging and the per unit price is almost always at its lowest.
8. Cook more efficiently. Cover pots with lids and avoid opening the oven door when it is in use. Both of these habits will help to reduce your energy bill costs since water boils faster in a lid-covered pot and heat won’t escape from the oven if you open the door less while it’s in use.
9. Get your heating under control. Install a programmable thermostat so that you can adjust the temperature in your home on a predetermined schedule. Programmable thermostats cost approximately $70 to $100, but the investment is well worth it, as it can save you up to 10% on your current heating bill.
10. Switch your light bulbs. Compared to a traditional incandescent bulb, a compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulb uses 75% less electricity and lasts up to ten times longer. Although CFL bulbs are slightly more expensive, they pay off in the long run since you don’t have to replace them as often.
Watch a video on how to help your home get a little more green with your mortgage!
IN THE KITCHEN:
- Use a fast boiling kettle to save energy
- Ecologically-designed, energy efficient refrigerators and freezers that use butane for coolant
- Energy efficient, low water consuming washing machines and dishwaters
- Recycled glass products
- Reclaimed terra-cotta tile
- Bamboo for just about everything! Flooring, tables, chairs, blinds, screens, cutlery handles, steamers, trays, baskets, boxes and mats. It is the most environmentally friendly wood on the planet, being fast growing and easily replenished.
IN THE BEDROOM:
- Organic, unbleached cotton and silk sheets, duvet covers, bedspreads etc.
- Natural Mattresses and wool blankets
- Rugs colored with vegetable dyes
IN THE BATHROOM:
- Organically-grown cotton towels, bath mats and bathrobes made with natural plant dyes
- Bathroom toiletries: toothbrushes, shaving gear, nail brushes, soap, toilet paper and body oils that have no chemicals added to them in their manufacture
IN THE STUDY OR WORK ENVIRONMENT:
- Recycled stationery and print paper
- Flooring of sisal or hemp
- Recycled cardboard paper bins
IN THE LIVING ROOM:
- Unbleached cotton for blinds and curtains, cushion covers and carpets using natural dyes and pigments
- Batik vegetable-dyed throws over the chairs
- Hand-loomed rugs dyed with plants and vegetables
- Hemp and natural cotton rugs over coir (coconut matting) or sea grass flooring
- Rattan furniture or matting (it is a fast growing vine)
- Furniture made from reclaimed timbers such as ocean drift wood
- Raffia tablecloths
- Lampshades hand made from recycled paper and rags
OTHER GREEN CLEAN ECO-FRIENDLY TIPS:
- Make a conscious decision to create an eco-friendly home.
- By not using aerosols, as they are believed to damage the ozone layer which protects us from the harmful radiation of UV rays from the sun.
- Use organic paints which are made without harmful petrochemicals, use natural plant solvents such as linseed oil and turpentine, natural resins, earth and mineral pigments and plant dyes. They are kinder to the ozone layer and they reduce the occurrence of allergies.
- Floor polishes, wallpaper, filler, varnishes and household glue can be bought without the addition of toxic chemicals.
- Extend eco-thinking to your garden, by recycling waste as compost.
- Recycle all you own environmental waste: put bottles, cans, paper etc. into the local recycling bins.
Make your home and work environment a safe and healthy place to live in. Be eco friendly!
Corinne Watson
Chestermere Lake Realtor
www.corinnewatson.com
430.921.SOLD
cwatson@cirrealtors.com
