If you live in an apartment or condo like I do, you are often limited on ways you can green your home. So we decided to put together a list of the top ten tips to green your apartment or condo. If you live in a house these tips will be applicable to you as well. Feel free to add any tips through a comment that you think would be useful!
- Replace home light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs or LEDs to decrease the energy used by approximately 90%.
- Replace your home appliances with Energy Star rated appliances if possible to use approximately 20 to 40% less energy.
- A Programmable thermostat moderates the temperature of your home so that it can turn off the air while you are away and have it still be cool or warm when you return. This can greatly decrease the amount of energy that is used to keep your home at your ideal temperature.
- Rather than using regular air filters, use green air filters for your air conditioning system to increase air quality and air conditioning efficiency.
- A HEPA air filtration unit in your home increases air quality and decreases air particles that can cause your air conditioning to use more energy.
- If you are going to repaint your walls, use low volatile organic compounds, aka low-VOC, paints to increase air quality.
- Dual flush toilets decrease the amount of water used in your home decrease the amount of water used compared to a normal toilet by around 25%.
- Use recycled materials to make over your floors and kitchen! If you need to redo your floors, there are many environmentally friendly options including: reclaimed wood, bamboo, cork, and natural linoleum, which is made out of flax seed, linseed oil and other biodegradable materials. Some of these options, along with veneer, can be used to make new cabinets as well. If you desire new kitchen countertops there are many options including recycled bottles and glass, reclaimed wood, stone, and metal. Icestone is one example of a company that is known for their beautiful and unique countertops made from recycled glass.
- Home composting systems, specifically for indoor use, because if you live in an apartment or condo…you probably do not have a yard where you can keep a compost pile.
- Smart surge protectors. When you are not around to use your electric appliances, why do they need
power? These surge moderators have two outlets that always stay on, while the other outlets turn off throughout the day and night to save energy. Some are moderated by occupancy, (So that if someone is in the room, they turn on. But if there has not been movement in the room in a while, they automatically turn off.) others are turned off by remote, and some are manually turned off. The more high tech, the more expensive, but overall a great way to reduce energy usage at home!
We hope you found these 10 tips to green your apartment or condo helpful, and let us know what you think! Got a better tip? Leave a comment!
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Nice, Kate, great list!
Sunshines last blog post..Ten Tips to Green Your Apartment or Condo
This is a great list for people who wish to be green but do not live in a house of their own. I have noticed a drastic reduction in my heating bills with a programmable thermostat.
Have you guys heard about some type of solar film you can put on the inside of your windows that barely tint the windows, but block almost all of the harmful solar rays? Apparently there are also some heating and cool gains too.