7 tips to create a more eco-friendly home or apartment

Global warming certainly seems to be the real deal. Gulf water temperatures are amazingly high, and this is already fuelling tropical storms and hurricanes.

Pictures of Arctic ice quickly melting are shocking to many, and Florida coastal residents are worried about losing many feet of shoreline as ocean levels rise. While wild weather is not uncommon, and while wide climate variations have taken place previously, it is still a scary climatological period.

If you want to make a difference—and every little bit does help—here are seven tips to get started:

1. Ditch those old light bulbs

The incandescent bulb was invented in 1802. As this invention evolved it obviously changed everything as darkened cities could be alive at night. In 1857, fluorescent tubes were invented, and other lighting technologies such as halogen followed later.

All of these systems have been dwarfed in usability, affordability, and lifespan by light-emitting diodes or LED lighting. LEDs are now cheaper than they were even last year, they are more compact, and they cost much less to operate than conventional lighting.

You can even purchase entry-way LED fixtures that come without a standard-looking light bulb, and they can last up to 40 years. Next, pair these with a smart lighting app and you’re on the way to eco-friendliness!

2. Get solar

You don’t have to buy expensive solar panels for your roof right away to get in on the solar energy movement. Just go online and buy a single-window sill-mounted solar panel, hang it outside of your home office window, and power your lights and computer for free. It’s that simple. Greywater

It’s spelled different ways, but polluted water is used to wash water from your kitchen sink, bathtubs and washing machines. You don’t want to drink it, but your plants will. And you can manually harvest this resource without having to spend big bucks to set up a sophisticated system.

3. Use less plastic

When the city of Austin, TX, temporarily banned plastic shopping bags, those barren fields with bin bags stuck to bushes and blowing in the wind just disappeared. Bring your own bags to the grocery store and avoid single-use plastic products that sit in landfills for a long time. Whether you live in London or in a small apartment in Chicago, it’s important to use less plastic when you can.

4. Get rid of water-sucking outdoor plants

We all have one of those sorry outdoor plants that need almost constant watering. If that’s the case, move to a friendlier location, or after next winter, promise not to plant any more like it. Plant local flowers, shrubs, and bushes and avoid exotic plants that need a lot of fertilizer and watering.

5. Compost your waste

There are many food waste items that you throw down the garbage disposal that could be put in a composter. The result will be a great fertile mixture that you can spread on the ground below your plants. This natural fertilizer works great and is very eco-friendly.

6. Drive less

Finally, stop driving and start walking. Reducing the impact of your carbon footprint is important and keeping your car in the garage is a great place to start.

Remember, just as your vote is important, so is your dedication to helping the planet through these difficult environmental times!

7. Sell to us!

If your property is in need of a renovation to improve its energy efficiency rating, and you don't have the time or funds to do so, then why not sell your property to us?

We'll buy your house for cash, in as little as seven days, no matter it's condition!