How to Ensure a Healthy and Green Home for Your Family

Sofia Lockhart - 30 Jul 18

Going green has become quite a trend in the recent years. The market is full of green homes on offer, waiting for the new homeowners. However, you can make your sweet home environmentally friendly, too, with just a few alterations. More importantly, you’ll provide a healthier environment for your family, and give your children a hands-on lesson in nature conservation. So, this is how it goes.

Plant an organic garden

Let’s go green, literally. This can be quite a fun project for the kids. After all, which child doesn’t like getting their hands dirty? If you’re a parent to teenagers, by taking care of the vegetables and herbs, they are in charge of the family’s food, which in turn is great for their self-esteem and sense of responsibility.

To ease the whole watering process and save the precious liquid, install a rainwater tank. There are plenty of high quality models on sale in different dimensions which can be easily hidden, and not resemble a big water tank at all.

Check your paint

When you first moved in, did you check about the paint which was used for the interior? Particularly, did you enquire about the VOCs, aka volatile organic compounds? Any paints containing these are extremely harmful. If you, or any of your family members has had issues with headaches, eye, nose, or throat irritations, this was probably due to the toxic evaporations from the paint. This time, go for paints without VOCs, or at with least low levels.

The smoking ban

The odour free paints aren’t the only enemy of a green home. Smoking should be forbidden inside your home, no matter who the smokers are. This is obvious air pollution right in the middle of your living room. Experts say it’s just as if you had a diesel bus inside.

Therefore, all smokers are banned for good, including you. If you wouldn’t like your child to adopt the same habit, seeing you at the balcony in every type of weather will certainly discourage them.

Install solar panels

There’s hardly a green home without them. Solar panels are a clear indicator the homeowner is paying great attention to the environment. Also, they’re an instant home value booster, too. Nowadays there is a wide choice of panels on offer, and you can install them on your window blinds or your roof. Saving energy has never been easier.

Insulate your home

Talking about saving energy, insulating your living space is one of the basic steps in that direction. There are many ways around this. From replacing garage and front doors, installing new double glazing windows, to simply re-caulking them, this will keep the energy inside the house. Your utility bills will be lower since the heat will stay inside during winter, and your AC will finally do its best in summer.

Install movement sensors

Maybe you already have LED energy saving lights, but what would really make a difference is setting up a movement sensor system. While you do remember to switch off the lights as you walk out of the room, the little ones aren’t that conscientious. Therefore, you can save yourself from giving lots of reproaches and have movement sensors installed.

Natural cleaners

Natural cleaners are non-toxic and eco-friendly, hence perfect for your home. Browse the internet for some of the simplest and most effective ways of cleaning a home, such as using baking soda, or citrus oils. White vinegar, for example, makes a great toilet bowl cleaner.

Unplug

One of the easiest and most difficult ways at the same time is getting unplugged. On the one hand, it costs you nothing. Not a dime is spent. On the other, you have to change your own habits, and everybody else’s around you, which is the trickier part. Turn off electrical devices which aren’t being used and reduce your carbon dioxide footprint. Also, introduce power strips for the purpose. They should save you up to 10% on your energy bill.

Changing your home isn’t as challenging as changing yourself, but that’s something you have to do. If not for your own sake, then definitely for the sake of your children. If you want for them to lead happy and healthy lives, the best way to ensure it is by setting an example.

Sofia Lockhart

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