Guest Writer
In the United States, buildings account for at least 2/3 rd of the total electricity consumption and around 40% of carbon dioxide emissions. Local governments are trying to improve the energy and resource efficiency of the environment by incorporating green building methods in the construction of buildings. It will help to build an eco-friendly environment for living beings. On the other hand, the rising consumption of fuel for transportation should be eliminated.
According to the experts, living an eco-friendly lifestyle and altering the construction method and transportation are a few ways to save our mother nature.
Benefits of using the green home building and sustainable transport
Green homes are fitter and more comfortable to live in. Other than this, green homes help you to save money. The mortgages available for building green homes have low-interest rates. Green buildings control the temperature inside your rooms with the usage of solar panels, air pipe ventilation, geothermal heat exchangers, etc. You may use solar panels to make rooftops as they can help you to light up rooms, cook, etc. Green vehicles are also cost-effective. You will be able to save at least 50-70% of your money from green buildings.
How to live an eco-friendly lifestyle from now on
An eco-friendly lifestyle can not only help you to save the earth but also help you to save money. Here’s how you can live an eco-friendly lifestyle:
Say “yes” to the Green home building.
We, as human beings, should take into consideration the impact that we have on the global ecosystem. Eco-friendly homes help us to conserve energy as these are built according to the standards of energy and resource efficiency and reduce the negative impact on the environment than other modes of construction. The guidelines for building a green home has been outlined by ANSI approved ICC 700-2008 National Green Building Standard.
Green home buildings are designed while keeping in mind issues like water and renewable energy, resource efficiency, sustainable transportation systems, etc.
Resource efficiency can be accomplished with the usage of fewer and more durable materials and by reducing waste and making use of used materials.
Use Eco-friendly Products
With many companies like goBambu offering eco-friendly alternatives such as bamboo toothbrushes, reusable coffee cups and beeswax wraps now is the perfect time to swap out single-use plastic products around your home.
Make the most of the recyclable content.
Recyclable materials are products that have identifiable recyclable content, including post-industrial content.
Use natural renewable materials.
Materials that are produced from sustainably managed sources and have an independent certification are natural and renewable.
Opt for a resource-efficient manufacturing process.
Materials that are resource-efficient for purposes like the reduction of energy consumption, minimizing wastes, and reducing the production of greenhouse gases.
Use locally available products.
Try to use local raw materials as they can help to save energy and resources for transportation purposes to the project site.
Use salvaged or remanufactured items.
Remanufactured items are made from materials that are saved from the disposal. Such items are renovated, repaired, restored, and used later. As a result, the performance and functionality of the product increase.
Say “yes” to sustainable transport.
Sustainable transports are those, which use alternative fuels that do not have any negative impact or have a low impact on the environment. Sustainable transportation includes walking or using cycles or green vehicles that are fuel-efficient.
The modern world is more automobile-centric. Automobiles are great for certain things, but the impact of the vehicles that we mostly use affects our environment negatively. The transport system has a significant impact on our environment, accounting for about 20 to 25% of the world’s energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions. Greenhouse gas emissions from transport are increasing at such a fast rate that it has surpassed the energy usage of any other sector. So, to save our earth, we need to lower the usage of ordinary automobiles.
Walk instead of driving.
If you take a walk rather than using cars while traveling to nearby places, then you can reduce air pollution. Moreover, you can also use bicycles and high-speed rails, or low emission cars for transportation purposes. You can even try to share cars and bikes for transportation purposes as this can reduce the number of automobiles and thus will reduce the negative impact on the environment.
Consider green transport.
Some of the most common forms of green transit are hybrid vehicles and biofuel-powered vehicles. Hybrid vehicles use both internal combustion engines and electric engines in combination. On the other hand, biofuel-powered vehicles generally use fuels derived from plant sources, biodiesel, vegetable oils, or bio alcoholic products. Some of the green cars will be Blue and Will and plug-in hybrids, NCC Coupe hybrids, and other electric cars. Green transport is affordable and operates well. It supports a competitive economy and also developed countries.
Use electric vehicles
Electric vehicles are designed in a way to reduce the emission of carbon dioxide, and hybrid cars generally have more fuel efficiency compared to other ordinary cars.
Maintain proper airtightness in your home.
Air leakage is often considered as the main reason when it comes to home energy loss. So, give attention to this sector also.
Install appropriate windows.
To avoid losing a significant amount of heat from your house, you should install proper windows. You can also grab an advanced heating and cooling system to save as much energy as possible.
Keep your home well-ventilated.
Keep proper ventilation while planning for heating and cooling systems in your house. Speak to your contractor about how to do proper ventilation in your home.
Get proper insulation.
To build an eco-friendly and energy-efficient house, you should get proper insulation. The old homes are not completely insulated, and as such, they lose a lot of heat through their walls.
Consider single-pane windows.
You can make use of your windows for their inactive solar energy capacity. Try to use the old single-pane windows that allow more heat to transfer and are helpful for all situations.
Be wise
When the weather is cold, close your curtains at night, and you can keep them open during the day. Ensure that the windows that are facing southwards are clean so that more and more solar heat can enter your home through those windows. However, you should also be sure that in case of warm weather, you keep your curtains closed during the day-time for the south and west-facing window.
Lastly, living an eco-friendly life is a dream of every individual, and so, there are lots of hopes in every person’s mind as to what kind of habits to grow to live an eco-friendly life. So, try to grow food on your own in your kitchen garden. Reuse things instead of buying new ones. Remember, you have to change your lifestyle to live an eco-friendly lifestyle.
This guest post was written by Valentina Wilson. Valentina is a writer and blogger who specializes in personal finance and positive change. Valentina has a master’s degree in financial journalism and seven years of experience in personal banking and believes that small behavioral changes are the key to achieving financial freedom. Check out her blog Best Debt Consolidation Blog and follow her on Twitter:@valentinailson
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