Apparently, humanity is destroying the planet. News items and articles in newspapers and on the TV gnaw at the collective conscience. David Attenborough’s smile and upbeat delivery from his very early appearances on TV has been replaced by a sullen, miserable frown with a downbeat, deadpan delivery.
Before we all become depressed and down like David, there are things we can do to help, in some small way, to alleviate the pressure on the environment, save on utility bills and make us feel good at the same time.
Let’s look at some suggestions which homeowners can introduce to reduce the burden on the environment.
Install solar panels
Coal, gas and oil powered generating stations are the source of the electricity which powers our homes, offices and factories. Without it we would be living in an unsophisticated agrarian society. We take electricity for granted, but the pollution which is caused by mining and drilling for coal and oil does untold damage to the environment, and that is without the millions of tons of CO2 pumped in to the atmosphere from power station chimneys.
The alternative is to generate power from more eco friendly and sustainable sources, such as wind, wave and solar. Solar energy power generating on a micro scale is something we can see in virtually every city, town and village in the UK. There are over one million domestic properties with solar panel installations in the UK, generating 2,499 MW of electricity (source:https://www.atlanticrenewables.co.uk/). These forward thinking homeowners benefit from almost zero cost electricity AND earn money from the government’s old Feed in Tariff scheme and the more recently introduced Smart Export Guarantee (SEG).
Improve insulation at home
Another way to make your house eco-friendly is to improve insulation. When you have a well-insulated house, it lessens the need to turn your heater on. It keeps your home warm even if you only turned the heater on for a few minutes. Since air couldn’t escape the place, it’s easy to maintain the temperature. Seek help from a professional who can help improve the insulation at home. With proper installation, you can save up to 30% of your electric bills. Reducing electrical consumption could also help save the environment.
Apart from the positive effects of this effort to the environment, it can also improve your properties value. People prefer living in a house where there’s improve insulation to reduce their electric consumption.
Choose energy-efficient light bulbs
If you’re still using the old lighting system at home, it might be time to change them. Yellow incandescent bulbs, for instance, are not suitable for your house. They consume too much energy and increase your electric bills. Instead of the regular light bulbs, you can consider energy-efficient LED lamps. They are not only energy-efficient, but they can also last longer. Once you decide to have an LED at home, you don’t have to replace them frequently.
Avoid using chemicals
When you use chemicals for skincare, cleaning your house, and other purposes, you’re also hurting the environment. The chemicals from these products could go directly to the open waters after you rinse. Therefore, it helps if your shift to natural options and cleaning yourself and your house.
With these tips, you don’t need to feel guilty about your actions anymore. You know that even in your small ways, you’re preventing the destruction of the environment.