Guide To An Eco Friendly Lifestyle

We understand many homeowners are looking to make big changes towards sustainability in their life. An eco friendly lifestyle is beneficial to the planet and could help reduce your annual energy bills. Here are some tips for starting out on the path to sustainable living.

Turn Off Your Tech

Energy conservation is one of the most important steps you can make on the road to an eco-friendly lifestyle. Reduce your carbon footprint by switching off the electricals that are left unused. Turn off standby mode and unplug unused tech.

You may want to think about investing in a standby saver or smart plug which allows you to turn all your appliances off standby at the same time. When purchasing new tech, check their energy efficiency rating to ensure they’re as efficient as possible. These devices will use less energy, which could reduce your output and help to lower your carbon footprint.

Switch To Renewables

Choosing 100% renewable electricity is a fantastic way to get on the path to an eco friendly home. Renewable sources are a positive way to tackle the climate crisis.

Fossil fuels, including coal, gas, and oil, are by far the biggest contributor to global climate change. It accounts for over 75 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions and nearly 90 percent of all carbon dioxide emissions.

To help avoid the worst effects of climate change, we must end our reliance on fossil fuels and invest in alternative sources of energy that are clean, sustainable, and reliable.

Compost Old Food

If your food has passed its Best By date, compost it rather than put it in the bin. Compost bins can reduce the amount of waste going into landfill and will help create a natural fertiliser. Compost plays a huge role because it enriches the soil, enabling it to retain nutrients and water, reducing the risk of plant diseases.

You make your own compost using fruit and vegetable scraps, eggshells, coffee grounds, tea bags, and plant trimmings. Harder materials like rinds, avocado stones, and pineapples may take longer to compose than other materials.

If you can’t compost at home, a local compost scheme may be available, or your local authority can food waste with your recycling.  

Recycle And Reuse Everything

Recycling is one of the first steps for creating an eco-friendly lifestyle. Most things can be recycled now. Plastic bags are one of the main contaminants of recycling loads, so avoid using bags when binning your recyclables.

Recycling is a great idea, but if possible, reuse as much as possible. Recycling requires energy to break the product down and transform it into something new. Reusing needs no new product and can save you time and money. From plastic tubs to hair clips, furniture to plant pots and pallets, so much can be reused in life.

Use LED Light Bulbs

One of the main benefits of investing in LED light bulbs is that they use around 80% less energy than traditional bulbs. They use less power and last for far longer, helping reduce your energy consumption without compromising on brightness.

Halogen and incandescent bulbs create light through heat, which makes them hot to the touch. LED bulbs don’t emit heat, so you can change them without burning your hands.

Insulate Your Home

Homes that aren’t well insulated are harder to keep warm in the cold winter seasons and stuffy in summer. Around £1 in every £4 spent on heating in the UK is wasted thanks to a poorly insulated property.

If you have single glazed windows or doors, upgrading them could improve a home’s insulation benefits. Double or triple glazing will help trap warmth inside a property and keep cold draughts outside.

Fit your carpets with underlay to improve floor insulation. Installing rugs can also help improve draughts and protect you from a cold floor. Another effective way of improving a home’s insulation is to change your curtains or blinds. Good curtains and blinds can be drawn to protect a property from draughts and cold air.

Reduce Your Energy Usage

Decreasing your electricity or gas usage can hugely improve the sustainability of your home. Turn down the air conditioning and central heating systems, to lower your energy bills and reduce your home’s carbon footprint.

Unless your home is brand new, it is likely your property will lose heat through doors and windows, gaps in the floor and through the chimney. Replacing or repairing your windows and doors will minimise draughts and stop heat from escaping.

Call us on 01933 677444 or use our online contact form to start your path to an eco-friendly lifestyle. We’ll be happy to talk you through our range of windows and doors, and all their thermal benefits.

We also have an easy-to-use online quoting tool, allowing you to access a guide price for your home improvements with no obligation to buy.