House & Home

3 Ways to Green Up the Family Home

Despite 75 percent of Americans wanting to help the environment in some way in their day to day lives, only one in five admits to keeping up their effort all of the time. Changing our habits in the home to help lower our carbon footprint and the effects they have on the planet doesn’t have to be a challenge – just by making small changes around the family home and getting everyone aware of their positive contributions means a reduction in energy, water, and chemicals. Whether you’re a busy mom keeping the kitchen clean or looking for ways to save money on your bills, everyone can all do their bit to help the environment and live in a healthier home by making positive lifestyle choices.

3 Ways to Green Up the Family Home

Use eco-friendly products

There are countless ways to green up your home and using eco-friendly products is one way of ensuring your home is kinder to the planet. Using chemical cleaning products exposes you to harmful toxins which pollute our natural resources such as soil, water, and air through the release of solvents. In contrast, environmentally safe products are produced to protect our homes with the least amount of damage to people or to our pets. There are green alternatives available for pretty much every household chore around the home and you can even make your own using essential household ingredients of vinegar, bicarbonate of soda and lemon.

Reduce food waste

While food waste is a global issue, a staggering 80 billion tons of food is wasted in American households so reducing the way we use and throw away food in the family home is an important way to be more eco-friendly. Start by thinking about how much food you throw out each week and look at ways all members of the family can help to contribute to wasting less food on a day-to-day basis. Changing these household habits might include the way we shop, how much we buy, storing food and reusing the leftovers in a creative way for another meal.

Go for sustainable designs

The next time you’re thinking of updating your flooring or buying furniture for the home, consider whether the items are made from sustainable materials. Most of us recycle in the home but how many of us buy products made from toxic substances or those which have had to travel far before they arrive in our homes? When furnishing your own home for anything from furniture to cushions and even drinking straws, check the labels for their ‘greenness’ and whether they are flame-retardant-free or made from certified organic textiles. Similarly, when your washing machine or dishwasher needs an upgrade, invest in an energy-saving model which will help the environment and is likely to save you money too.

You don’t have to make these changes all at once but by starting to make a little effort towards changing your habits, you’ll not only be helping the planet but making a safer and healthy home for your family to enjoy.

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Jess Benoit

Jess is a homeschooling mama of 3, wife, gamer, Whovian, Nerd

One thought on “3 Ways to Green Up the Family Home

  • We definitely need to reduce the amount of food we waste in our home in order for us to be truly green. It’s something we are working on each day.

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