Fall Eco-Friendly Tips For Your Home

Photo Credit: www.dreamstime.com

You’d have to be living under a huge boulder with your head in the sand to have not have heard about climate change.  We all know that this phenomenon is happening and is a very real and serious problem, but how much do you really know about it?

Are you aware that humans are largely responsible for climate change? That means what each of us does on a day-to-day basis, and how we live our life significantly contributes to the negative changes we’re experiencing in our environment.

Here at La Duna Centro Ecológico we work really hard to minimize our environmental footprint and overall impact and we would like to share some eco-friendly tips with you. You can read more about us, and what we do on our website by clicking the link above.

 

Fall is a great time to start thinking about going green. There are many ways you can minimize your footprint and make a positive impact in our world. It all starts with small changes from people like you and me.

 

Here are some ways you can easily make a positive difference in our world:

 

1.   Start a composting bin for your home. Compost is a rich, organic soil conditioner great for your lawn and garden. It enriches soil and reduces the need for water, fertilizers and pesticides. It’s so easy to start a composting bin. You put all your raked fall leaves and other yard waste in a bin with any kitchen food scraps like egg shells, leftovers you’re not going to eat, vegetable cuttings you won’t use, orange peels, you get it right? All the food scraps you would normally think to throw away. These are great for composting. You can even clean out your rain gutters and throw that in too! Not everything should go in a composting bin, so do your research to make sure you’ll get the most out of your compost. You’ll reduce landfill space and have the best lawn and garden on the block!

 

2.   Turn down the thermostat. As the cool weather starts to approach us it’s really tempting to just turn up the heat. Instead of reaching for that thermostat dial, try reaching for a sweater or blanket to keep you warm. Use draft stoppers in the doorways and windowsills. If you don’t already have one, think about investing in a programmable thermostat so you’re not heating up an empty home while you are away at work and the kids are at school. These tips will save on energy and keep money in your pocket!

 

3.   Green Cleaning. Toss out conventional chemical cleaners, which are full of toxins that are bad for you and the environment. Then try mixing up some of your own non-toxic eco-friendly cleaners. You can try some of these recipes below or check your local health foods stores for eco-friendly products you can buy.

·      Washing dishes – Use sea salt or course salt mixed with a little lemon juice and scrub. Also, try making a paste with baking soda and water for tougher pots and pans.

·      Laundry - Mix 1 part vinegar, and 2 parts water together to make fabric softener. Using 1/4 to 1/3 cup of this mixture during the final rinse will leave your clothes soft and clean!

·      Scrubbing Toilets – Pour undiluted white vinegar around the top of the toilet bowl and then scrub until clean.

 

4.   Check your tire pressure. As air temperature gets cooler your tires will lose air pressure. Having low pressure in your tires can lead to more trips to the gas station. Try to reduce the amount of time spent driving your car as much as possible. Give carpooling a try or ride your bike to work.  

 

5.   Get creative for Halloween. Instead of purchasing a new Halloween costume that you will probably only use once and then throw away, use old clothes or buy used clothes from a consignment shop to make your costume. Get crafty and use recycled goods. Use reusable cloth bags instead of disposable ones for trick-or-treating. Make the most of your jack-o'-lantern. If you paint a face on the outside of the pumpkin instead of carving it, you can use the meat later to make tasty pumpkin treats. If you opt to carve your pumpkin and put a light in it, you can roast the seeds as a healthy snack and then toss the rest of the pumpkin in the compost bin after the holiday is over. I prefer to paint mine and make pumpkin pie and muffins! I can’t let all that yummy pumpkin deliciousness go to waste!

 

If you agree with these eco-friendly tips please like our post and share them with your friends! We would also love to hear from you on what tips you might be using in your own home. Leave us a comment below

 

Happy fall season from all of us at La Duna Centro Ecológico!