Eco Friendly Products for the Home
Eco friendly products for the home are now available to help us save energy and money while also helping us preserve our environment. Most of us are motivated to save money, and some of us are motivated to save energy and help preserve the environment. If we can find eco-friendly products that satisfy all three of these goals, or if we can acquire the learning to take action that accomplishes all three goals, then everyone wins.
Eco friendly defined
First, since the term eco friendly (also eco-friendly) has become a rather vague and misused term, we thought it would be good to start with a definition of what we mean when we say "eco friendly". Our definition of eco friendly products is products that help the environment, or at least inflict minimal or no harm on the environment. They are products that are environmentally friendly, friendly to the people of the earth and their environment. These environmentally friendly products may help conserve resources and/or reduce or eliminate pollution. Renewable energy such as solar and wind are examples of what we would include in our definition of an eco-friendly, or environmentally friendly products.
Eco Friendly Tips
Below are some eco-friendly tips that can help save money and energy while helping to preserve the earth. We know you may already know most or all of this, but reminders can't hurt.
- Carpool and use alternative transportation when possible. Plan errands so you can do more in one trip instead of making multiple trips.
- Eliminate unnecessary water and chemical use on landscape around your home. The US Environmental Protection Agency has some additional tips at GreenScape.
- Conserve water inside your home – pay attention to your use of it. Do you run water while brushing your teeth, shaving, shampooing your hair? Do you do full loads of dishes and clothes?
- Consider eco-friendly renewable energy sources for your home: solar, wind, geothermal.
- Recycle as much as you can. If your locality doesn't have a good recycling program, get your neighbors involved in starting one. Recycling creates jobs, reduces pollution and conserves energy and natural resources.
- Save energy with CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Lamp), or better yet, LEDs (Light-Emitting Diode). CFLs can reduce lighting energy use in your home by 50% to 75% and can last about 10 times longer than incandescent (standard) bulbs. LEDs use a little over half the energy of CFLs and last 2 – 10 times longer than CFLs. Comparison of incandescent, CFLs and LEDs.
- Have an energy audit of your home done by a professional or do it yourself. For a do-it-yourself home energy assessment, energysavers.gov has helpful instructions on locating air leaks, determining how well your home is insulated, inspecting your heating and cooling system, and information on how you can save with eco-friendly lighting and other environmentally friendly energy saving products.
- Support companies that use renewable energy resources and green companies that consider their impact on the environment when making business decisions.
- Use household products which don't contain chemicals that are harmful to people or the environment. You can find safe, non toxic, eco friendly cleaning products that you can make yourself or buy on our sister site at homemade-cleaning-products.com.
- When replacing appliances buy energy efficient ones. Energy saving devices can save energy and money big time. The National Resources Defense Council has facts on how much you can save at their website. NRDC.
- If you are able to choose an eco friendly company which generates electricity from renewable energy sources, consider it if you can afford it. It may cost a little more than other sources of electricity, but it’s worth it for the environment.
- Fill your dish washer and washing machine with a full load – this will save you water, electricity, and washing powder.
- If you can, hang out clothes to dry instead of running the clothes dryer.
- Try to get into the habit of turning appliances and lights off when not in use.
- Try to follow all three of the 3 Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. More on that at the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – Overview page of our website.
We have many eco friendly products for the home that can help you implement the tips above and below.
Other Eco Friendly Tips to Save Energy and the Environment
Save on Heating the House
Use programmable thermostats. Heating costs are the highest energy cost for most households (about 45%) and programmable thermostats can help make significant savings. You can get ENERGY STAR® Programmable Thermostats here *.
If you aren’t using programmable thermostats, turn down the thermostat a few degrees, especially before going to sleep or leaving the house for more than a few hours. It can make a significant difference.
For other energy saving products such as an attic stairway insulation tent, air deflectors, air conditioner covers and vent covers, check out the misc energy saving page on our website.
Save on Heating Water
When you think about it, how much of each day are you actually using hot water? For our household, we use hot water for showers and washing dishes, so maybe we're using hot water for 90 minutes a day at most. The other 1350 minutes of the day, water is sitting in our water heater and being kept hot for when we need it. That brings us to the following ways to save on heating water.
Turn down the temperature setting on the water heater. Most households can set the thermostat at 120 degrees. For each 10ºF reduction in water temperature, you get a 3%–5% energy saving. Even setting the temperature a few degrees lower makes a significant difference in your energy savings.
Did you know that reducing your water temperature to 120ºF also slows mineral buildup and corrosion in your water heater and pipes? Less buildup and corrosion means your water heater will not only last longer, but will also operate more efficiently.
If the side of your water heater is warm to the touch, you can benefit by adding an insulation blanket or jacket around the heater. You can get one here: Water Heater Insulation Jacket *.
Follow directions carefully for installing insulation around the water heater. Don’t cover the thermostat access panel. If it’s a gas heater, be careful not to block airflow to the burner. If it’s an electric heater with insulation around it, don’t set the thermostat above 130ºF or the wires may overheat.
Save on Water Usage
Save water while taking a shower by turning the water off while soaping and shampooing.
For other ways to save on water usage go to Water Savings Indoors and Outdoors on this website.
Energy Scams
You might want to take a minute to read this notice on energy scams: energy scams
Get involved – Take Eco Friendly Action
You may want to help by working with organizations dedicated to preserving our environment and the life on this planet. If so, check out these green action links. The world needs your help.
Slow Down, Relax and Browse
Take some time to browse through our website. We have lots of green, eco friendly products for the home so you can save energy and money.
Free Book about solar power
Get answers to the most commonly asked questions about the world's most plentiful source of power, eco-friendly solar power. Download your free report from Solar Sphere: Free Solar Book *
