6 Home Renovation and Lifestyle Ideas To Fight Climate Change

At Green Building Insider, we are committed to embracing sustainability. Green buildings, in particular, can help immensely. The market for green building materials is projected to be worth nearly $940 billion in 2030. Although we primarily talk about ways to practice sustainability with eco-friendly buildings, there are other things that you need to do to live an environmentally friendly life.

We want to talk about the different steps that you can take to perform eco-friendly home remodeling projects and live sustainably in other ways. Keep reading to learn more.

Eco-Friendly Home Remodeling and Green Living Ideas to Lower Your Carbon Footprint

Climate change is at the front of many people’s minds because they are wondering how they can live a more eco-friendly lifestyle, while also enjoying many modern amenities. It all seems daunting, but one person can make a big difference even with small changes over time. Fighting climate change involves being aware of what you buy, where you drive, and even how you pay for your purchases.

Green building practices can do a lot to help lower your carbon footprint. Other changes might not make as much of a difference on their own, but are easy to implement and are worth doing to help the planet.

By making small changes, you have the power to reduce your carbon footprint and fight back against global warming. These eco-friendly remodeling and green living tips will help you fight climate change in your day-to-day life.

Use Recycled Materials for Home Improvement Projects

When you are working on home improvement projects, you need to take the necessary steps to reduce your impact on the planet. One of the best ways to do this is by using recycled materials. Recycled building materials are going to minimize the need to waste scare natural resources. We have a list of great eco-friendly building materials that are worth using.

Use the Right Amount of Insulation

Insulation will also reduce energy loss. You will want to make sure that you use enough when renovating your home.

Use LEDs or Solar Lights to Reduce Energy Needed for Lighting

When you are creating eco-friendly buildings, you also want to pay attention to the lighting. Solar lights can help make your property eco-friendlier. You may also want to invest in LEDs to improve energy efficiency.

Choose a Better Credit Card

Did you know you can choose the right debit and credit cards to help offset your personal carbon footprint? Credit cards are linked to companies that make money each time you use your card.  What if those fees went into projects and causes that helped to improve the environment, instead of harming it? By choosing a more eco-friendly alternative – such as green credit cards – consumers can make a significant difference with their spending. Proceeds can benefit companies that are funding projects that help improve the environment, instead of contributing to more pollution.

Buy Local

Buying local food, goods and products is a great way to combat climate change. It reduces the amount of carbon emissions that would be created by transporting your purchases across long distances. Local businesses also tend to be more environmentally friendly, so you’re doing your part for the environment while supporting other small businesses in your community. Buying local can also help strengthen the economy of your community by supporting local jobs and helping create more opportunities for growth.

Shop in Bulk

You can help reduce your carbon footprint by buying in bulk. By doing so, you’ll be able to save money and have fewer trash bags thrown away. You can also use reusable containers for things like food storage, toilet paper, and paper towels—anything that you might typically buy in a package can be purchased in bulk at places such as Costco or Sam’s Club. Buying bulk saves you trips to the store and also reduces the amount of packaging that you waste.

Make Your Own Cleaning Supplies

Making your own cleaning supplies is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint. Natural ingredients are gentler on the environment, and they’re often cheaper than store-bought cleaners. Plus, you can recycle containers that were already being used for something else, instead of buying plastic bottles or jugs.

You can make small batches of cleaning supplies by filling a container with any combination of these ingredients: vinegar, lemons or limes, castile soap, and even hydrogen peroxide and water. These cleaning supplies are not only better for you, but they are better for the environment and contribute to less waste overall. Additionally, these more natural solutions won’t pollute the local water the same way that chemical cleaners do.

Use Cloth Shopping Bags

Reusable shopping bags are a great way to fight climate change. Plastic bags create a lot of pollution; from being produced in factories to getting thrown away, these bags create a lot of waste. Use reusable shopping bags or cloth bags instead. If you don’t already have a set of reusable shopping bags, it’s easy to find them online or at your local grocery store. You can also repurpose old t-shirts into reusable shopping totes by cutting off one sleeve and sewing it together with two other shirts that are similar in size and color.

Turn Off Electronics When Not in Use

Electronics waste a lot of energy when they aren’t in use. From the red light on your television to the computer in sleep mode instead of being turned off, energy waste is a big contributor to climate change. Turn off your computer at night and keep the monitor turned off when you’re not using it. Unplug your cell phone charger from the wall when it’s not charging. Unplug your electronics when they aren’t in use so you don’t lose energy to their vampire-draining tendencies. By turning off these technologies you can help reduce climate change and in the process save money on your electric bill.

Use These Eco-Friendly Home Remodeling and Green Living Tips to Lower Your Carbon Footprint

If you are truly committed to living a sustainable lifestyle, then you need to practice green living in every way. This includes practicing tips that go beyond using the best green building practices. The guidelines listed above can make a huge difference as you strive to lower your carbon footprint.