Ways to Go Green at Home in 2020

Going Green in 2020

If one of your new year’s goals is to be more eco-friendly, you are not alone. From LED light bulbs to reusable water bottles and coffee cups, lots of people are making the switch to green, environmentally-friendly products. Check out these tips for going green at home!

But there are so many more eco-friendly ways you can adopt besides just migrating to reusable, energy-efficient products. Below we’re sharing a few benefits of going green, eco-friendly home products, and tips to make the switch easier and more cost-effective.

Why Go Green?

There are many benefits to going green. Not only does it help our planet and environment, but it can also:

• Reduce energy consumption in your home;
• Reduce waste from your home;
• Give you end-of-year tax benefits;
• Saves you money;
• Make you feel good.

4 Ways to Make Your Home Eco-Friendly Home

In addition to using reusable water bottles and reducing your water consumption, there are a few other ways you can go green in 2020. Some may be more of an investment upfront, however the benefits you experience while living in the home (and when you sell) are sure to be worth it.

Staged by No Vacancy Home Staging

Switch to Eco-Friendly Kitchen Countertops

Investing in new kitchen countertops isn’t the easiest way to green-ify your home, but it’s definitely a way to make a statement. Eco-friendly kitchen countertops are becoming more popular as they’re non-toxic, made from recycled materials, and come in a variety of shapes and colors.

There are quite a few eco-friendly kitchen countertops on the market, like:

• PaperStone – made from recycled paper and petroleum-free resin
• IceStone – made from recycled glass and concrete
• Durat – made from up to 28% recycled content
• Reclaimed wood
• Bamboo

Look into Upgrading Your Flooring

Flooring is also another not so easy thing to update in your home but can offer many benefits short and long term benefits if you’re willing to make the switch.

Environmentally-friendly flooring is not just made from renewable sources, it’s also really durable. Durability is key for flooring because of all the foot traffic, whether that’s human feet or furry paws constantly going back and forth or tracking in dirt, mud, or water.

Examples of durable, eco-friendly flooring are:

• Bamboo
• Cork
• Linoleum
• Hardwood
• Natural stone

Install a Smart Thermostat (Like a Google Nest)

One of the best ways you can go green in 2020 is to watch your home energy consumption. Heating and cooling your home, especially when you’re not actually inside, can be wasteful of resources and expensive. Luckily smart thermostats can help you save on both energy and money.

Smart thermostats, like Google Nests, are gaining in popularity because they can auto-adjust based on learned preferences or can be set to cool and heat at specific times of the day. They can also be used from afar, like with an app, to set or adjust when out on the go.

Google, Ecobee, and Emerson all make quality smart thermostats that can help you reduce your energy consumption. They’re also great selling features when you’re ready to put your home on the market.

Go Paperless

Over the last few years, you may have noticed more companies offering ‘‘paperless billing’ and ‘online statements’ to save money on printing. Not only does this save them money, but it also protects the environment. You can also adopt this paperless mindset in your home too.

• Get rid of your printer – By removing your printer, you’re not able to print things at random or have excess computer paper laying around your house. (You might think this is extreme, but you’d be surprised at how much you really don’t need to print at home.)
• Sign up for paperless billing and paperless statements – Most organizations, like banks, credit card companies, and utility companies, offer paperless billing and paperless statements. This is usually a way for them to save money on paper, but it also reduces unwanted paper at your home too.
• Ask for an email receipt – A lot of clothing retail and home goods stores are starting to ask if you would rather have your receipt emailed to you instead of receiving a printed one. The benefit to having a receipt emailed to you is that you are less likely to lose it because its stored in your email platform. (Also less likely for someone to accidentally throw it away, spill something on it, or tear the most important data off.)

Take it One Step at a Time

Making the switch to all energy-friendly products can be expensive if you do it all at once. To ease the financial burden, buy your new light bulbs, cleaners, toothbrushes, etc. as you finish the existing ones. This reduces waste (you don’t want to throw out a full bottle of cleaner!) and the financial strain on your wallet.

Do Your Research

Before you start buying products, do your research to make sure they are truly eco-friendly. There are a lot of symbols and words that can make something seem natural and environmentally-friendly when they really aren’t.

Look for symbols like the EPA’s Energy Star, Green Good Housekeeping Seal, Green Seal, Leaping Bunny Program, and more to ensure the products you’re buying are indeed green-friendly.

Going green in 2020 is a great way to give back to the planet and add value to your home by installing eco-friendly products. When you’re ready to sell your home, prospective home buyers will appreciate the environmentally-friendly touches, energy-saving appliances, and more.