How You Can Make Your Household More Sustainable Going Forward 

It is in everyone’s best interests to be sustainable where possible. This means reusing goods and food before throwing them out and finding ways to be more eco-friendly. This article will go over a few different ways you can transform your home and what sort of habits you can change to achieve this goal.

Focus On Insulation

Insulting your home is a great way to be sustainable, but it is not something that is often thought about when trying to transform a home to be more eco-friendly. When you have an insulated home, it means that you won’t need to use as much energy to heat or even cool, your property. This means you will be using less energy overall, which helps reduce your carbon footprint.

There are plenty of different ways for you to insulate your home. One effective way is to search for cracks and gaps in your walls, especially around your doors and windows. Once you’ve located these gaps, you can look to seal them. This will stop heat from escaping your home and minimise your usage for heating.

If you haven’t already, then you should know that it will be in your best interest to install double-glazing windows. You can find out more about this from the experts over at the Federation of Master Builders. They can inform you of the best double-glazing windows companies across the UK, which can help you find the best options that suit your needs.

Once you have double-glazed windows installed, you will find that you can save on energy, which in turn helps you be more sustainable. Shop around and look to get a few quotes so that you can find the best deals around. While the key is to be sustainable, you should still consider your budget.

Utilise Renewable Energy

Many households across the UK believe that they are limited with what energy they use. What you may not know is that you actually have quite a bit of choice when it comes to energy usage within your home. For starters, you can look to swap to a green energy company. While a green energy company will still have to use the national grid, it will still do all it can to utilise renewable energy.

The UK is aiming to reach net zero by 2050, with the majority of electricity projected to come from renewable sources. In the meantime, you may be able to source some of your own electricity. For example, you could install solar panels or even a small wind turbine (you will need permission) so that you can generate your own electricity.

In some cases, you may be able to directly use this energy. In other cases, you may actually have a big reduction on your bill due to the fact you are helping to supply the grid. Essentially, there are a few different ways you can make use of renewable energy. You will need to do your research and contact the local council to find out what you are allowed to do in your area.

Buy Local Goods

One small change you could make to your shopping habits is to purchase local goods rather than import goods. Purchasing goods abroad means it needs to be transported by sea or air, which likely uses a lot of fuel. Purchasing goods on a local scale helps reduce the number of carbon emissions and air pollution in general.

Reduced food miles and transportation will be better for the planet. An added bonus is that you will also be able to support the local economy, which helps everyone around you, as well as yourself. You will also be able to make more connections with those around you, which could help you in the near future.

Purchasing local goods serves the planet well as well as the community. Of course, you should still ensure that the local goods you are buying are sourced locally. If you are purchasing goods that have been transported internationally from a big shop, it is largely doing the same thing as buying yourself directly. Instead, you should find independent shops that use local ingredients and materials, where possible.

Make The Most Out Of Your Garden

If you live in a home with a garden and you are trying to be more sustainable, then there is likely a lot more that you could be doing. Firstly, as you can imagine, you could look to grow your own fruit or veg. Growing your own food is cheaper than purchasing from a shop and helps reduce your impact on the environment. Not only that, but you may even find that the food tastes better when you know you grew it.

You can also look to create your own compost and fertiliser when you have a garden. Composts are great for the environment, as they have many benefits for animals and wildlife. You may even be able to attract some creatures to your garden through composting. This allows you to create a small ecosystem within your garden and create something truly unique.

Of course, you can always just plant flowers and trees, too. Plating flowers has many benefits for your garden, and it is eco-friendly, as it will attract more bees. This allows them to collect pollen and continues boosting the ecosystem. With trees being grown, you will directly be able to assist with oxygen being produced, so it’s truly a win-win.

Save Water Where Possible

It may sound obvious, but it’s still worth saying it. You can be more eco-friendly and sustainable by saving water where possible. There are plenty of ways to save water within your household. For example, you could change your shower head so that you are using a more water-efficient one. This can prevent water usage and save you money on your bills.

Speaking of showers, you should look to cut down your time showering. While everyone loves a long shower, it can be quite wasteful when it is not needed. It’s a similar story for all the taps within your household. Ensure you are not leaving any taps running unnecessarily. One great habit of getting into is to turn off the tap while brushing your teeth. Millions of people leave the tap running while brushing, which is a big waste.

We touched on the garden earlier, and how you can use it to be sustainable, but it’s worth talking about how water can be wasted here. You can be more sustainable by avoiding wasting water. This means not leaving the hose running while watering your garden, and not overwatering your crops, as this will be counterproductive.

Conclusion

Overall, it would help if you now had an idea of what you can do to be more sustainable across your household. If you’re feeling unsure on how to get started, consider asking those within your household to work with you. They could partner up with you so that you are both sharing the burden. You may even find it more fun to do it with your family, rather than on your own. It’s important to do your research to know what you’re getting into. Remember, it will benefit the planet and boost your household.