Going green is one of the single most important things one person can do for their home. It helps you save money, live better, and help the environment. The great thing is that you don’t have to spend a ton of cash to do your part.
So why go cheap? Because it is easy and almost everyone can do it. All you need is a little bit of cash and some dedication. If everyone in the United States and Europe did their part the world would be a much better place today. But it isn’t too late. If we work together we can help our children, grandchildren, and their ancestors by spending just a few dollars today instead of a ton later.
Change your bulbs
Let’s start out with the most common. By changing your bulbs to compact fluorescent you will save roughly $60/year in electricity, and since CFL last longer the savings only increases with time.
Price: CFL $5.99-$7.99 for 4.
Compared to: $1.99 for 4.
Alternative
LED bulbs are gaining in popularity. They use even less electricity than their green counterparts; however, they are even more pricey (they will get cheaper as more manufacturers pick them up). $5.99 for direct LED and up to $60 for 360°. These bad boys can last up to 18 years and use half as much electricity as CFL. Why the cost difference? Who knows.
Low-flow showerhead
When we take a shower we generally use way too much water. Showerheads typically use 2-4 gallons per minute. Luckily, we can cut down our usage by installing a low-flow showerhead without sacrificing anything. A low-flow showerhead uses 2 gallons or less water per minute, so you can feel fresh and conserve water at the same time.
Price: $15-$50
Compared to: The same water hog you have been using for years.
Garden
Instead of driving to the store each time you want to make a salad or eat some veggies, why not grow your own? Gardens can be in just about any size and seeds are cheap. You’ll help save the environment and you’ll get some sunshine.
Price: $1-$3 for 17 seeds
Compared to: $3 per bag of veggies at the grocer.
Programmable thermostat
Air conditioning and heating uses the most electricity out of everything in our home. However, we may not always remember to change the thermostat when we leave. With a programmable thermostat we don’t need to. Just set it to change automatically at the time you usually leave for work and have it change back just before you arrive home. Even a 1° difference will save you a ton of money. They are relatively easy to install, but that depends on how dated your current thermostat is. You’ll make your money back just after a few months of use.
Price: $40-$100 (without professional installation)
Compared to: Using way more electricity than needed.
Alternative
Set your thermostat at 78°F or higher during the summer months and 68°F or lower during the winter.
Bamboo floors
Bamboo flooring offers several different designs: horizontal, vertical, and strand woven. Of course, you can have the flooring in almost any shade of wood and texture. Strand woven is obviously the toughest flooring choice in bamboo as it is slightly harder than white oak.
You may wonder why this is here. Well, that is because it is an alternative to a job which is already being done, thus the price is cheap or the same.
Price: Same as other hardwood flooring (generally $1.8-$2.5 / sq ft)
Alternative
If you just don’t like the look of bamboo, check out cork flooring ($2.5-$8/sq ft). It offers a unique design and is considered “the new bamboo”. Of course, if you still want to buy “regular” hardwood flooring, make sure it has FSC certification—a certificate which states the harvesting is environmentally and socially sustainable.
Non-toxic chemicals
Using toxic chemicals not only kills the environment, but it hurts our breathing and can sometimes be fatal. Many products use formaldehyde (the chemical used on cadavers that stinks horribly) including paint, wart medicine, cleaning agents, and adhesives added to carpeting and hardwood flooring. Longterm exposure to formaldehyde causes an increased chance of obtaining certain cancers and several respiratory illnesses. Instead of using these toxic chemicals (not just formaldehyde), try to buy a non-toxic alternative. For everyday cleaning try out GreenWorks.
Price: Relatively the same price as the toxic alternative, but without the toxicity.
Rainwater barrel
Water is precious and even more so with every passing day. In areas of consistent drought and poor water supply rainwater barrels are a must. When water is used in gardens or lawn it either 1) Is used by the plant and not returned to the water supply until it is lost via transpiration or later in the plant’s cycle. 2) Eventually evaporated from the ground. Many people assume the water will return to their own water reservoir after evaporation, but this isn’t the case. Once the water is returned to the clouds it will eventually rain; however, the area in which the rain falls is not where the rain is evaporated due to rain shadows, wind, and other causes. This is why using the hose to water the garden and lawn is a horrible idea. Instead, use a rainwater barrel to collect water from your homes gutters, then use this to water the garden and lawn.
Price: $50+ depending on needs. Can include filter, tap, etc.
Compared to: Using hose water.
Written: Mar 11, 2009
Green Living
March 12, 2009 @ 4:40 am
I think this are the best tips to get cheap green homes. I agree to your point that If we work together we can help our children, grandchildren, and their ancestors by spending just a few dollars today instead of a ton later.
Analytics
March 12, 2009 @ 7:26 am
The bamboo flooring sounds like a real winner to me. Logging is nasty, and there is so much underhandednes going on in that industry, that you can never be 100% sure of where the hardwood originated from. What is the sustainabilty of cork flooring like?
Gary R. Hess
March 12, 2009 @ 1:49 pm
Cork is grown on trees so when they harvest it they only have to ’shave it’ and the tree survives. Then in a few years it is shaved again. Cork Oak is the most popular cork-tree and it is shaved roughly 12 times during the trees lifespan, but often more. Cork is shaved in 9-year spans after the tree reaches 25-years of age and they last anywhere from 120-200 years old.
Cork is the best choice if you can afford it. It is soft to walk on, extremely durable, sound-proof, helps control humidity, fire resistant, insect resistant, and is even anti-allergic. Many public buildings have turned to cork for these very reasons.
Mizzy
March 12, 2009 @ 12:34 pm
A programmable thermostat is very efficient in saving some money. Tips on how to use it properly would be very efficient.
Gary R. Hess
March 12, 2009 @ 4:27 pm
My response is a little too long for a simple comment reply, so I went ahead and made a new post about it. Check it out.