How to Make Your Home a Green Home
As climate change becomes an increasingly important topic with every passing year, more and more soon-to-be homeowners are looking to purchase green homes. A buzzword in today’s real estate market, green homes are homes that are designed to be environmentally sustainable. According to the U.S. Green Building Council, green buildings help reduce carbon, water, energy and waste. The less energy and resources a home uses, the greener it is.
Fortunately, you don’t have to buy a new home to have a green home. A variety of factors contribute to how green a home is. Read on to learn how you can make your existing home a green home:
- Swap incandescent light bulbs for LED light bulbs. The average home with incandescent bulbs uses about 2,000 kWh of electricity per year. At the national average of $0.10 per kWh, these homeowners spend $215 a year on lighting. By switching to LEDs, you can save around $4,000 over 20 years, which is the typical lifespan of an LED (carbonswitch.com).
- Wash your clothes in cold water. According to Tide, if 75 percent of laundry loads are washed with cold water, it would have the same impact on greenhouse gas emissions as removing about one million cars from the road for a year.
- Unplug any energy vampires, such as TVs, computers, printers, video game consoles, chargers and small appliances when they’re not in use.
- Buy ENERGY STAR certified appliances when it is time for a replacement.
- Switching to renewable energy is one of the best ways to make your home a green home. Green Choice Energy is a licensed clean energy supplier, providing 100% green, renewable electricity and carbon-neutral natural gas to residents of Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Switch to Green Choice Energy today for better energy and a better earth.
References:
https://www.energystar.gov/newhomes/green_homes
https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/led-lighting
www.realtor.com/advice/home-improvement/what-are-green-homes/
https://www.inspectionsupport.com/resources/green-home-everything-you-need-to-know/
