Though April is filled with several memorable events, one of the most important (yet least heralded) is coming up soon. Earth Day is April 22 – and Metro wants to make sure that our Chattanooga neighbors are ready and motivated to take part! The annual celebration, marking the anniversary of the environmental movement in 1970, has become an international event. Coordinated celebrations take place all over the world, with more than a billion people actively participating. Metro wants to help our neighbors live more efficiently while simultaneously helping the environment. We’ve compiled some tips from various Earth Day initiatives for making homes more eco-friendly. Celebrate Earth Day everyday by implementing these simple suggestions:
Outside:
Create an Herb Garden
Start an herb garden in your backyard and enjoy fresh, natural herbs while cutting out the waste of product packaging.
Start Composting
Starting a compost area in your back yard will help reduce the use of your compactor, reduce the amount of trash your home produces and will help to inexpensively fertilize that new herb garden.
Outside Fire Alternatives
That wood you burn in the fire pit or chimenea can release harmful toxic carbon monoxide into the atmosphere. Consider burning alternative products made from soy, coffee beans and recycled sawdust (wood pellets).
Hang Dry Your Laundry
The spring and summer are the ideal seasons for drying your clothes outside. Hang drying clothing helps to reduce carbon emissions and will keep darks from fading. Modern collapsible clothes racks are less conspicuous than clothes lines – and can be folded and put away after use.
Native Plants
Consider planting flora that is native to your area. This will protect the local environment and ensure a healthy yard. Local Tennessee plants include: Blazing Star flowers, Tickseed flowers, Jacob’s Ladder flowers, Red Maple trees, Yellowwood trees, Buttonbush shrubs and many more.
Inside:
Recycle/Reuse/Repurpose
Be mindful of the products that are thrown away on a daily basis on your home. Try to wash and reuse glass jars and plastic bottles. Bags – both paper and plastic can be used to line garbage cans. carboard boxes and other receptacles can be reused to carry or store items.
Buy Bamboo Products
Bamboo is the fastest growing plant on Earth. The products made from it are durable and age better than wood. Help to save our forests and put your money behind bamboo dishes, furniture and other home essentials.
Low Flow Fixtures
Replace the water fixtures in your kitchen and bathroom with modern low-flow fixtures. EPA WaterSense-approved fixtures use less water, but perform just as well as similar (less efficient) designs on the market.
LED Bulbs
Replace the incandescent bulbs in your home with LEDs. LED lightbulbs are 85% more efficient than incandescents and can last for up to 9 years. The huge savings in electricity and longevity more than make up for their higher retail price.
Benefits and Drawbacks of LEDs
Install Energy Efficient Windows
If your windows are 20 years or older, consider replacing them with energy efficient models. New windows will help maximize your heating and cooling system – while saving energy and lowering utility bills.
Clean Green
Stop using toxic cleaners to clean countertops, sinks and the bathroom. Make your own powerful cleaner with natural ingredients that you already have in your home. Baking soda and vinegar is an effective cleaning alternative – and has been a household staple for decades.
Market Totes
Keep your market tote bags (the ones you never use) by the front door so that they aren’t forgotten on the next trip to the store. Always make an effort to use your own bags to cut down on the consumption of paper and plastic.
Keep your home environmentally safe and running efficiently all year with these Earth Day tips – and the professionals at Metro. Remember that an eco-friendly home also encompasses plumbing and HVAC systems that are running efficiently. Metro can help you with all of your essential home maintenance needs – including indoor air quality solutions. Call us at 423-616-1025 or 706-516-1980 to schedule a maintenance appointment or an IAQ assessment.
Related Blogs:
Early Spring IAQ in Your Chattanooga Home
Green Cleaning Your Toilet
Metro Plumbing, Heating, and Air Conditioning is the service company you want! Call us today at (423) 616-1025!
