There are countless ways we can reduce the environmental impact of our homes. Here are 10.
#1 Asking your energy supplier for a 100% renewable energy supply
It costs almost the same, it takes 5 minutes (you can do it online or by phone) and it's really worth it, since it allows you to save 1.5 tons of CO2eq every year.
#2 Choose home appliances based on their energy efficiency class
Today, there are many energy efficient appliances on the market. Energy consumption varies according to the energy efficiency class, which we should be aware of (the best appliances are the ones with A+++ energy class). Picking these home appliances will have a very positive impact both on your bills and on the environment.
#3 Turn the lights off when you leave a room
Since you won't be in the room, you won't miss the light!
#4 Unplug your chargers when you're not using them
You don't need them and they consume energy (a small amount of energy is consumed even if your phone isn't charging anymore, so you shouldn't charge it overnight).
If you really really really can't give up on always having all the chargers plugged in, you could buy a power strip with a switch and switch it off when you leave.
The same goes for the Wi-Fi: when you leave for the weekend, remember to unplug it!
#5 Replace traditional light bulbs with LED bulbs
LED light bulbs, which are now very easy to find, have several advantages compared to the traditional ones:
They generate less heat loss, which translates into energy savings.
They produce a brightness which is about 5 times the one produced by traditional light bulbs.
They can last up to 100,000 hours, compared to the 1,000 hours of incandescent bulbs and the 10,000 hours of fluorescent bulbs (they cost a little more but you will replace them less frequently).
To operate, they require little energy and can therefore be powered by renewable sources.
#6 Take a shower instead of a bath to use less hot water
Giving up on hot water would be way too extreme (especially if you're sensitive to the cold). However, you can stop taking baths and shower instead, which would enable you to save lots of water.
Here are the numbers: to fill a bathtub you need approximately 135 litres of water. By taking a shower, you waste more or less 19 litres of water per minute. No brainer.
#7 In winter, you can turn down the heating
In December it is not a scandal to keep your sweater indoors!
#8 In summer, you can turn down the air conditioning and try to create drafts with your doors and windows
(As long as it's not too hot!)
#9 Only run your washing machine and dishwasher if they're full and prefer low temperatures
If you're interested, check out our article on sustainable laundry!
#10 Take the stairs instead of the elevator
We tend to take the elevator to save time, without considering the waiting time and forgetting that it consumes energy. Plus, if you're in good health, taking the stairs is a great way to stay fit!
Level: Expert
Different solutions have different levels of easiness, and by now we have only talked about the easy ones. However, if you want to invest more time and energy to make your home more energy-efficient, you can consider:
Renovating your house to improve its insulation and therefore reduce its energy consumption. Buildings are responsible for 40% of energy consumption and 25% of CO2 emissions. For this reason, insulating your home allows you to save money on your bills and be more sustainable. Among the companies that implement these solutions, EcoLegacy is particularly innovative, as it holds a patent to form a closed circuit air gap between the external surface of the wall and the insulation. This interspace is heated or cooled, transmitting the temperature and humidity level inside the building and therefore wasting considerably less energy.
Self-producing energy, for example by installing solar panels on your roof with companies like Green Genius.
Notes
CO2eq (CO2equivalent) is a unit of measurement that allows you to weigh the emissions of various greenhouse gases having different effects on the climate. In practice, CO2eq expresses the impact on global warming of a certain amount of greenhouse gas compared to the same amount of carbon dioxide.
Sources
Bonanomi, M., De Flumeri, C., Lavagna, M. (2012). "Edifici a consumo energetico zero. Orientamenti normativi, criteri progettuali ed esempi di zero energy e zero emission buildings". Maggioli Editore.
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