Want to live a greener life but think it's too expensive to buy all the gadgets that make it possible? Here are five ways to cut your carbon footprint in your home without spending a fortune, including rechargeable solutions, composting ideas and paper reduction.
1. Reduce Your Energy Use
If your appliances and electronics are just sitting there, unplug them. Any time an outlet has a cord plugged in, it's sucking energy even if the device is off. Only plug in when the device is in use (or recharging) and you'll save energy.
2. Keep One Charging Station
Using rechargeable devices is a great way to keep batteries out of landfills but being smart about recharging ups your green game one more notch. Instead of spreading the chargers (and energy use) throughout your home, choose a USB tower in a central location. You can plug in all your devices in one place, save time by knowing where your devices are and only have one cord to unplug when you're done.
3. Get Your Head in the Cloud
Many people don't utilize the cloud to its full extent. Your house or office may be cluttered with paper of all sorts that you could be saving in the cloud. You can save many paper goods in digital form, such as:
- Pictures
- Documents
- Books
- Magazines
But it doesn't stop there. Any digital media, including your own personal movie collection, can be stored in the cloud. Think bigger than replacing a bookshelf. Use the cloud to rethink photo albums, cookbooks, entertainment centers, and work documents to save space and reduce clutter.
4. Plant Clean Air
Even though you are literally going green with this one, you're also doing a lot more than adding greenery. Having plants indoors cleans the air and saves you time, energy and money by:
- Reducing dust in vents and air filters
- Helping you breathe easier
- Reducing airborne toxins
While almost any plant will do, these plants are touted for their air-cleaning qualities:
- English Ivy
- Mother-In-Law's Tongue
- Dragon Tree
- Peace Lily
- Spider Plant
5. Turn Rot into Gold
Food rots; it's just a fact. But you can turn that rot into healthy food by using a compost bin. If you live in a house, all you need is a 3 x 3 x 3 foot space in your backyard. Apartment-dweller? No worries! With just a few stacked plastic bins, you can compost, too. Add the compost to your garden and you've reduced your carbon footprint while providing yourself and your family with healthy eats! Learn more about how to compost here.
For more savvy home-savings tips, check out these posts:
5 Cheap Home Improvements - A Logix Video Blog
Four Unusual Ways to Save on Groceries - A Logix Video Blog
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