Almost everyday, we experience problems somehow related to the declining quality of our environment: pollution, unusual weather, overcrowding, and disease are but a few items in our growing list of concerns. It looks as if a troubled future awaits us unless we mend our ways and reconsider our role in the natural world.
Our relationship with our surroundings is very much like a complex loop: we change the environment and it also changes us. Oftentimes, we may feel that much of the degradation is beyond our control. On the contrary, what we do in the places where we live and work has a greater impact on the immediate environment than we may think. This is especially true in the place where we spend most of our days: the home.
The home is an integral part of our lives. It is one of the places where we can actually control much of our situation. There are many things that can be done for the home with respect to the environment, and the suggested activities here are just the tip of the iceberg. Although the goals may be the same, there is no specific way of making the home more sustainable, and the actual methods may vary depending on the resources available. Ultimately it is up to the home-maker and the household to decide, because no one has a bigger stake in the home than those who actually live and work in it.
Devoting Energy
One of the simplest and best ways we can help ourselves and the environment at the same time is by reexamining the way we use energy. The money we save on utilities can actually reduce our dependence on oil, so this strategy helps a lot.
We use different types of energy at home: electricity from the convenience outlet, light from the sun, and heat from liquefied petroleum gas. An effective way to save energy is to match energy and fuel choices to different household tasks.
The production of electricity is plagued with hidden costs. Most conventional power plants and utilities waste around half the energy generated from burning fuel and another 1/5 during transmission. Therefore, an electric stove only uses only around a quarter of the fuel’s total energy output, compared to gas stoves that are three times more efficient! Cooking by gas saves more energy than using electric stoves and ovens, and this is reflected by the gas and electric bill.
Another example is using compact fluorescent lamps instead of incandescent bulbs. In addition to converting electricity into light, incandescent bulbs also generate more heat, so much of the electricity used is converted into heat that you do not need.
The simplest example is just letting in sunlight and a breeze instead of switching on the lamp and fan. While the latter adds to your electric bill, the former requires little or no wasteful fuel to energy conversions whatsoever.
Hence, before buying and using an electrical appliance, think of other ways that achieve the same effect without the inefficiencies and the added cost.
Find Space
The best way to get something started is to make space for it, whether it is physical space or just some extra time in a busy schedule.
Storage space is a must for sorting garbage, recycling materials, and replacing inefficient appliances. Without allotting enough space, the resulting mess can get very frustrating and end the recycling project long before it serves its purpose. Store items that look especially long-lived and without any immediate use. Keeping trash that cannot be recycled will also serve as a reminder as to which products are no good to buy.
Sustain Life
In addition to finding space plastics and old batteries, you can also look out for more garden space. Besides providing oxygen and cleaning the air by gathering dust and toxins that would otherwise end up in our bodies, plants can also serve as a source of sustenance and a constant reminder of what we are trying to preserve in the environment. Plants can take root in a variety of conditions. They can grow on walls, indoors, or any conceivable place as long as there is enough sunlight, soil, and moisture.
If maintenance is a problem, hardy local varieties require less care than their fussy foreign counterparts. Instead of fertilizer, you can mix chopped and dried plant and vegetable matter in the soil. Composting is also a good idea, but only if you are willing to experiment. Though scentless when done correctly, nothing kills enthusiasm faster than a composting project gone wrong, especially if it is done within the confines of a small house where everything is within smelling distance.
Share Experiences
Finally, share your experiences with other members of the household and housing community. It is much more fun to work with others and benefit from their insights and experiences. Starting new habits can be difficult without the proper support, so before you begin, find willing individuals, regardless of skill, to aid you in your endeavor.
It does not take an expert to figure out what is right for the home environment. A little sensitivity and determination can go a long way to make the home (and everything beyond) a better place to live in.
Our relationship with our surroundings is very much like a complex loop: we change the environment and it also changes us. Oftentimes, we may feel that much of the degradation is beyond our control. On the contrary, what we do in the places where we live and work has a greater impact on the immediate environment than we may think. This is especially true in the place where we spend most of our days: the home.
The home is an integral part of our lives. It is one of the places where we can actually control much of our situation. There are many things that can be done for the home with respect to the environment, and the suggested activities here are just the tip of the iceberg. Although the goals may be the same, there is no specific way of making the home more sustainable, and the actual methods may vary depending on the resources available. Ultimately it is up to the home-maker and the household to decide, because no one has a bigger stake in the home than those who actually live and work in it.
Devoting Energy
One of the simplest and best ways we can help ourselves and the environment at the same time is by reexamining the way we use energy. The money we save on utilities can actually reduce our dependence on oil, so this strategy helps a lot.
We use different types of energy at home: electricity from the convenience outlet, light from the sun, and heat from liquefied petroleum gas. An effective way to save energy is to match energy and fuel choices to different household tasks.
The production of electricity is plagued with hidden costs. Most conventional power plants and utilities waste around half the energy generated from burning fuel and another 1/5 during transmission. Therefore, an electric stove only uses only around a quarter of the fuel’s total energy output, compared to gas stoves that are three times more efficient! Cooking by gas saves more energy than using electric stoves and ovens, and this is reflected by the gas and electric bill.
Another example is using compact fluorescent lamps instead of incandescent bulbs. In addition to converting electricity into light, incandescent bulbs also generate more heat, so much of the electricity used is converted into heat that you do not need.
The simplest example is just letting in sunlight and a breeze instead of switching on the lamp and fan. While the latter adds to your electric bill, the former requires little or no wasteful fuel to energy conversions whatsoever.
Hence, before buying and using an electrical appliance, think of other ways that achieve the same effect without the inefficiencies and the added cost.
Find Space
The best way to get something started is to make space for it, whether it is physical space or just some extra time in a busy schedule.
Storage space is a must for sorting garbage, recycling materials, and replacing inefficient appliances. Without allotting enough space, the resulting mess can get very frustrating and end the recycling project long before it serves its purpose. Store items that look especially long-lived and without any immediate use. Keeping trash that cannot be recycled will also serve as a reminder as to which products are no good to buy.
Sustain Life
In addition to finding space plastics and old batteries, you can also look out for more garden space. Besides providing oxygen and cleaning the air by gathering dust and toxins that would otherwise end up in our bodies, plants can also serve as a source of sustenance and a constant reminder of what we are trying to preserve in the environment. Plants can take root in a variety of conditions. They can grow on walls, indoors, or any conceivable place as long as there is enough sunlight, soil, and moisture.
If maintenance is a problem, hardy local varieties require less care than their fussy foreign counterparts. Instead of fertilizer, you can mix chopped and dried plant and vegetable matter in the soil. Composting is also a good idea, but only if you are willing to experiment. Though scentless when done correctly, nothing kills enthusiasm faster than a composting project gone wrong, especially if it is done within the confines of a small house where everything is within smelling distance.
Share Experiences
Finally, share your experiences with other members of the household and housing community. It is much more fun to work with others and benefit from their insights and experiences. Starting new habits can be difficult without the proper support, so before you begin, find willing individuals, regardless of skill, to aid you in your endeavor.
It does not take an expert to figure out what is right for the home environment. A little sensitivity and determination can go a long way to make the home (and everything beyond) a better place to live in.
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