Unless you have been living under a rock for the past decade or so, you will know that the future of the planet is in crisis due to global warming.

It is essential that we all do our part in the bid to reduce damage caused to the environment, and we can begin the fight in our own homes.

Here are nine ways to make your home more environmentally friendly:

Install Solar Panels

Solar panels convert the sun’s natural renewable energy into electricity, making them incredibly environmentally friendly. 

By installing solar panels, you will reduce your carbon footprint as solar energy is clean and does not release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, which destroy the ozone. You will also save yourself heaps of money as the sun provides most of the energy you will need to heat your home and supply plenty of hot water.

Be Wise With Your Choice Of Windows And Doors

There is no use having an efficient heating system in your home, just for the warm air to escape through gaps and cracks around the doors and windows installed in your property.

To prevent heat loss in your home and higher energy bills, ensure your doors and windows which open have efficient seals attached to them, such as wiper seals and compression strips. Units that are not designed to open can be draught-proofed with a surrounding layer of silicone sealant. It is super important that you understand how energy efficient your windows are when you install them. Alongside what is already been mentioned, you should opt for double glazed windows at the very least. Single glazed windows just will not cut it as they let too much heat out. Naturally, working with an experienced window company, like Approved Contractor, can help you get the windows you need for the utmost energy efficiency in your home. Talk it through with the experts, see what will work best for your home, then boost heat retention. 

Wood is a natural insulator as it absorbs and retains heat, so when choosing a door, opt for hard-wearing hardwood. Out of all the products external doors are made from, wood has the highest levels of energy efficiency.

Fit Quality Insulation

Dense, superior quality insulation will prevent a high percentage of warm air from escaping from your home and cold air from entering. In fact, it can reduce your energy bills by up to 40%.

When your home is well-insulated, your thermal energy consumption will be reduced, which in turn lowers the levels of greenhouse gases emitted into the environment. Carbon dioxide is the main culprit responsible for the rise in the planet’s temperature.

Use Biodegradable Products

It is not just changing the structure of our home that can help us fight global warming. We can alter the way we use things or change the type of items we use within our homes.

Swapping products that have a detrimental effect on the planet for eco-friendly ones will ensure we are playing our part in looking after the world. The number of landfill sites will be reduced, and toxins caused by nonbiodegradable products will dwindle. 

Products we use in the home that can be reused or safely broken down by bacteria and fungi into raw materials include paper towels, toilet paper, dish soap, clothes, laundry detergent, bin bags, stationery, towels, diapers, and utensils.

A More Efficient Heating System

Installing a green heating system in your home is one of the best things you can do to reduce your carbon footprint.

One of the most energy-efficient heating systems is ground source heat pumps. These systems consist of pipes that are buried deep into the ground near a property. Heat is extracted from the earth and used to heat radiators and hot water within the home.

Biomass boilers are a great option as they use organic materials such as wood instead of gas and oil to generate their power. These boilers operate as efficiently as gas boilers but create a fraction of the carbon dioxide.

Think About The Cleaning Products You Use

If you hate cleaning, then you have a great excuse not to do it as often as you think you should — it is harmful to the environment and your health. 

Most cleaning products are composed of chemicals such as volatile organic compounds, ammonia, and bleach. These substances are hazardous to our health as they can cause breathing difficulties, skin irritation, and lung conditions. When the products are rinsed down the drains of your home, they enter the outside world and damage the environment.

The packaging of cleaning products is not always recyclable and ends up in a landfill. When cleaning your home, look for green commercial cleaning products or use natural ingredients from your store cupboards, such as lemon juice, white vinegar, and baking soda.

Switch Off 

Save money and the planet by switching off lights and electrical appliances when they are not in use.

Switching your old light bulbs for Light Emitting Diode (LED) or Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFL) can save you up to £100 a year as they use up to 90% less electricity. 

Leaving electrical appliances on uses up energy — even when they are on standby. It is cheaper to switch them off and safer for you and your family as many house fires are caused by issues arising when an appliance is left in standby mode.

Take The Clothes You Wear Into Consideration 

Wear clothes made from natural substances like organic cotton and bamboo because artificial fabrics such as nylon, polyester, and acrylic lose fibers when we wash them. The fibers travel down the drain into ecosystems where marine life can ingest them.

Cleaning your clothes in a 30-degree washing machine cycle will save you money as most of the electricity used by a washing machine goes into heating up the water. Use an eco-friendly detergent and dry the laundry without the use of a tumble dryer whenever possible. Nothing beats the fresh scent of washing that has been dried on a clothesline outside.

Recycle Everything You Possibly Can

Recycling is essential in this day and age, and most councils provide householders with color-coded garbage bins for different recyclable substances.

Read the information provided by your local council and on items’ packaging about what can be recycled and what can’t. Clean plastic vessels to prevent spoiling a whole recycle batch, flatten cardboard boxes, plastic bottles, and aluminum cans to make more space in your bins and make the transportation of these articles easier.

Always think about the impact on the environment when you switch on a light, buy a heavily packaged product or clean your clothes. You may think that doing so little has no impact on the environment, but if every person does their small part, the end result can be enormous.