Eco Home — Easy ways to build an environmentally-friendly house

Discover simple and practical ways to make your home eco-friendly. From renewable energy solutions to reducing plastic waste and conserving water, learn how small changes can have a big impact on creating a sustainable, greener home.

9/15/20244 min read

In a global landscape where homes are becoming much eco-friendlier, it simply means the design of housing spaces as eco-homes has been created with the utmost vigilance towards reducing their carbon footprint. It does not matter whether you are trying to be more eco-friendly or simply want a green lifestyle, making your home environmentally friendly is an easy way out. We look at some of the practical ways to help create a greener home, from energy saving tips to cutting down plastic waste.

Power saving with renewable energy

One of the most important steps in making your home eco-friendly is switching to renewable energy sources. Since the development of solar panels, they are still one of the best ways of generating your power and reducing dependence on fossil fuels. As it turns out, aside from being better for the planet, solar power could be saving you thousands on electricity bills in the long run.

You can also reduce your energy bill by putting on the screen of the smart home. Available options, among others, include smart thermostats that work automatically according to your schedule to save energy while keeping you comfortable. A more efficiently running heating and cooling system results in significantly less wasted energy, and lower costs.

Sustainable alternatives made of bamboo, cork or even the use of reclaimed wood should be ultimately used when choosing eco-friendly furniture for your home. These items are not only renewable, but they also last and have style. Products with certifications like FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) are a good sign that they help guarantee forests are responsibly managed.

For instance, choosing a dining table bamboo or a coffee table reclaimed wood, this not only will make your home elegant but also minimize the need for new raw material. In addition, choosing to use organic textiles such as cotton, linen and hemp helps reduce the environmental impact of running up chemicals during the product manufacturing stage.

Reducing our plastic is another important part of our eco home. Swap out single-use plastic items for more environmentally friendly, cost-effective reusable ones instead. Get started with reusable water bottles for glass or stainless steel, and switch to using compostable bags in your kitchen waste instead of plastic trash bags.

Another small but effective change is moving from plastic food storage containers to glass jars or stainless steel tins. In addition to being more durable, these products will keep chemicals from seeping into your food.

Water usage is an integral part of any green home. By replacing houses with low-flow showerheads and bathroom fixtures, your family can save a lot of water. Today's water-efficient faucets perform just as well but conserve more water

Rainwater harvesting systems are another method of saving water efficiently. These systems capture and hold onto rainwater that can be used for watering your vegetable plot or flushing the toilet. In addition, you reduce the demand on replenishing treated tap water, and that results in a lower water bill!

Recycled waste management is one of the easiest ways you can make your home a more ecological one is to properly manage waste and throw it in a good enriched cycling. Begin by recycling and organizing a waste or either side of the house clean, organized with appropriate bins for paper, glass, plastic, organic waste or compost bin.

This will go some way to making sure your waste from home is sorted out and recycled in the right manner.

With the current climate of remote work, establishing a home office that is sustainable has never been more significant. To begin, pick sustainable furniture for your offices such as wood or bamboo made desks and chairs. Choose LED lighting for your office, as LEDs use less power and last longer than old-fashioned bulbs.

Wherever possible, try to go paperless to lower your carbon footprint. Try not printing documents and save them digitally, or if you need to print use recycled paper and choose two-sided printing when possible to decrease paper waste.

Building an eco-friendly home is not that unattainable. It is easy to understand — if you use less of things and more from renewable, sustainable resources (along the same small change principle used for dieting or any habit change), we save water, we avoid over-farming of non-sustainable produce. But remember, one step at a time and every little thing you do is one big leap towards making the world greener.

This is the era to be eco-friendly and reflect that change within your own house.

a house with a solar panel on the roof
a house with a solar panel on the roof

Opt for sustainable materials and furniture

a hammock sitting on a wooden deck
a hammock sitting on a wooden deck

Cut down on plastic and sustainable shopping items

three glass containers filled with different types of food
three glass containers filled with different types of food

Save water and cut costs

person wearing brown gauntlet
person wearing brown gauntlet

Your trash is recycled and tidied

four assorted-color trash bins beside gray wall
four assorted-color trash bins beside gray wall

Create an eco-friendly office

a tablet with a screen
a tablet with a screen