Over the years, our world has become increasingly conscious of the environment. People are working to protect the planet all around the world, from massive conservation efforts to things we do every day in our homes. This is great – but it can be tough to truly “go green” when you’re renting a condo. Here are a few tips for making your condo eco-friendly:
Location, Location, Location
The easiest way to go green is by making your home eco-friendly — and the easiest way to have an eco-friendly home is to move into one! While searching for a condo, look for new or recently updated buildings; these typically contain energy-efficient appliances that will shrink your carbon footprint.
No new buildings in your city? You can also cut back on carbon emissions by finding a condo that is walking or biking distance from your workplace, and walking instead of driving! Not only will this make your living situation eco-friendlier, it will make your daily routine healthier.
Switch Out Your Showerhead
If you’re renting your condo, you may not have the cash to upgrade appliances (and if you do, your landlord may not allow it). However, you can still make changes that will add up to energy and cost savings. For example, installing a low flow shower head in your bathroom will cut back on your water consumption and energy use.
You can purchase a low flow shower head at your local hardware store, and you can install it in just a few minutes. With this slight change, you can decrease water consumption in your home by 40%! Not only is this great for the environment, it will save you money on your energy bills.
Light Up with LEDs
LED lightbulbs have been a popular choice among eco-conscious consumers for a while. If you haven’t gotten on board, you should – these light bulbs are great for your wallet! LEDs bulbs tend to last much longer than standard bulbs, use far less energy, and are more durable. But best of all, LEDs are great for the environment!
LED lightbulbs are completely free of toxic chemicals (unlike fluorescent bulbs which contain dangerous chemicals like mercury). They are also incredibly easy to recycle. According to some estimates, swapping out the incandescent lightbulbs in your home for LEDs can reduce your carbon footprint by up to a third! This is just another very small change that will have a significant impact – not just for your condo, but for the planet.
Make it a Habit to Unplug
So far, we’ve talked a lot about things you can do to make your condo eco-friendlier. However, there are also things you can stop doing that will have an impact on your energy use. For example: stop leaving all your appliances plugged in all the time! By unplugging those items that use a lot of juice, you can make a big dent in your energy consumption.
We don’t mean those items that are constantly working like your refrigerator; we mean high-energy appliances like your coffee maker or TV. Make a habit of unplugging these items when you’re done with them or plug them into a power strip you can switch off when they’re not in use.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Finally, you can make your condo a little greener simply by following the three R’s: reduce, reuse, recycle. Whether you’re dealing with grocery bags, plastic bottles, or old towels, do your best to get the most of everything you have. Then, when you’ve used it up, recycle whatever you can. Taking just a little extra time to properly recycle materials can make a substantial difference for our environment!
If you’re renting, talk to your landlord about getting recycle bins for your condo or your building. Encourage your neighbors to do their part to recycle, too! By working together, we can all make our world a little cleaner – and as you can see, making your condo eco-friendly is actually quite easy!
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