Looking for tips for a sustainable, environmentally friendly home? Then you've come to the right place! We heat, consume water and energy, produce waste, furnish our homes, enjoy food and design the garden - nowhere else do we have so much influence on our own lives. sustainable actionjust like in your own four walls.
Fortunately, it's quite easy to make a real difference to the environment and climate in these everyday areas and benefit from it yourself at the same time.
In this article, I would therefore like to give you the best tips for making your home more environmentally friendly. Let's go!
You can find a brief overview here in advance:
- Green electricity from renewable sources
- Sustainable wallpapers and natural wall paints
- Energy-saving, minimalist lighting indoors and outdoors
- Ecological heating system and generation of renewable energies
- Energy and water-saving household appliances
- Natural insulation for greater energy efficiency
- Reusable alternatives to avoid waste
- Pet friendly garden or balcony and homegrown food
- Used and self-made furnishings
- Environmentally friendly behavior at home
1. green electricity from renewable sources
Let's start with the simplest tip that you can implement directly at home for more sustainability: the Switch to a green electricity provider. You can, for example, contact your local public utility or directly switch to a sustainable electricity tariff here on the Internet*. which does not differ in price but has a major positive impact on the environment.
The motive is clear: the electricity for your fridge, TV, heat pump, drill or for charging your smartphone will no longer come from conventional sources (such as brown coal, hard coal or nuclear fission), but from renewable energy sources. These include, for example Wind energy, solar energy or hydropower.
2. sustainable wallpapers and natural wall paints
When you are at home with more Environmental awareness you should also renovate or furnish your kitchen, living room and interior rooms in a sustainable way.
Ecological wall paints without chemical preservatives and solvents, environmentally friendly recycled wallpaper and various modern photo wallpapers (like here from Bilderwelten), which are certified with trustworthy and strictly controlled environmental seals like the "Blue Angel", the "FSC Seal" or the "natureplus label" have been certified.
3. energy-saving, minimalist lighting indoors and outdoors
In addition to green electricity, natural wall paints and modern photo wallpaper, well thought-out lighting is also a hallmark of an environmentally friendly home. On the one hand, to protect the Environmental problem of light pollution and on the other hand to make your four walls more climate-friendly.
Recommended are especially Energy-saving lamps and especially LED lightswhich consume significantly less electricity, last much longer and thus protect the environment and your wallet at the same time.
Here are some more other ideasthat will help you save electricity and use it wisely with regard to your lighting:
- Paint walls a light color and prefer light-colored furnishings, so that fewer light sources are necessary.
- Using dimming functions and motion detectorsso that the light sources really only light up when and in the strengths that are needed.
- Align outdoor lighting downwards onlyas no light is generally required upwards.
4. ecological heating system and generation of renewable energies
The heat in your environmentally friendly home should of course also come from renewable energies wherever possible. We recommend, for example, a Geothermal heat pumpthat are as with the help of self-generated electricity (e.g. with photovoltaics or a wind turbine). The heat in the residential building itself should then be generated with a smart thermostat The temperature in certain rooms can be adjusted so that they are only pleasantly warm when they are in use.
Tip: Even simple tips, such as wearing a sweater instead of a T-shirt or airing the room briefly instead of always leaving a tilting window open, can save heat energy and make your life at home more environmentally friendly.
5. energy- and water-saving household appliances
Whether Oven, refrigerator, television, washing machine, computer or Dishwasher - All these household appliances consume natural resources and therefore have a negative impact on the environment. Accordingly, you should only own them if you really need them - and also make sure when buying (second-hand) that they are Consume as little energy or water as possible.
Orient yourself best EU energy label for electrical appliances and prefer household appliances with the best values (usually from A+ to A+++).
When choosing a washing machine, you should also make sure that a gentle cycle or economy program is possible. You should also choose a machine with a drum that only holds as much volume as you really need. The same applies to the size of your fridge. You can do without a tumble dryer altogether and air dry your laundry instead.
Tip: Further advice on Save electricity and Save water in the home can be found in the more detailed, linked blog posts.
6. natural insulation for greater energy efficiency
A Sustainable thermal insulation of your home ensures that as little heat as possible is lost in the cold winter goes and that As little heat as possible inside in the hot summer penetrates. Your house and apartment will be much more energy efficient and climate friendly.
If you have the opportunity, you should go straight to natural, Ecological insulation materials such as hemp, cork, flax, cellulose and wood wool prefer
7. reusable alternatives to avoid waste
In a home that is as sustainable as possible As few, short-lived things as possible so that as little waste as possible is produced. Disposable products such as kitchen paper or bottles, drinking cups, straws and plastic cutlery are particularly short-lived.
Accordingly, it is advisable to furnish your house or apartment with durable, eternally reusable items, such as Cloth cloths, glasses, carafes, glass drinking straws and stainless steel cutlery in the sense of the waste-preventing Zero Waste Lifestyle or the plastic-free lifestyle to act.
8. animal-friendly garden or balcony and food from own cultivation.
A sustainable home also includes a sustainable garden, the Animals shelter and food offers you Foods and give you time to Recreation in nature. Here are some tips that you can put into practice:
- Create stone, deciduous and dead wood purchase
- Plant a wildflower corner, native shrubs and trees
- Bee hotel building and installing birdhouses
- Build raised beds and grow fresh fruit and vegetables
- Collect and use rainwater
- Use natural pesticides and fertilizers
Tip: Of course, plants should not be missing within your four walls either. Among other things, they serve as Oxygen suppliers and humidifiers - and are even able to filter environmental toxins out of the air.
9. used and self-made furnishings
It's not that difficult to furnish your home in an environmentally friendly way. It is particularly sustainable if you buy your furnishings second-hand or even build and upcycle them yourself.
Second hand has many advantages - Used items, such as tables, pictures and motifs, lamps, armchairs, chairs, cupboards and even floor coverings, are for example cheaper, more individual, more appreciative and, last but not least, more sustainable. Because if you opt for a Used purchase you avoid a new purchase and automatically preserve the Earth's natural resources.
It is a nice alternative, make unique furniture yourself. For example, I have my coffee table and my Dining table homemade from 35 years old oak planks. Through such DIY projects you can also still Save money sustainably.
10. environmentally friendly behavior at home
Now you already have lots of tips for a fundamentally more sustainable home. But let's not forget that you can also make a difference through your Everyday usage behavior have a major impact on the environment.
Use the following tips to make your home as environmentally friendly as possible:
- Use residual water wisely: Pasta water is rich in minerals and is ideal for sauces, soups, washing dishes or, when cooled, for watering your plants.
- Setting up the fridge to save energy: Each compartment has a different temperature and Food has a longer shelf lifeif you classify them correctly.
- Make your own dishwashing liquid: You can make countless household helpers yourself. For example, try your hand at DIY washing-up liquid made from ivy leaves do it yourself.
- Separate waste correctly: Always make sure that your household waste garbage cans match your waste garbage cans. proper waste separation.
- Cold shower: By shower as cold as possible you are not only more awake, you also save the environment and your wallet, because less energy is needed to heat it up.
- Reduce advertising: Cancel unnecessary subscriptions that constantly send you plastic and paper waste - and stick a sticker with "Please do not post advertising" on your mailbox.
Tip: In the blog post about Sustainable living I will explain these and other tips for more environmentally friendly behavior in your own four walls in more detail.
Make your home environmentally friendly? No problem!
From green electricity, recycled and photo wallpaper, energy-saving lighting and insulation, to insect and bird-friendly gardens and second-hand furniture, you've learned tips for an environmentally friendly home.
Perhaps you already knew one or two of them or are even implementing them. Then that's great, of course. But I firmly assume that you have enough New inspiration for even more sustainability in your living environment. Just implement them little by little.
"Be the change you wish to see in this world."
Mahatma Gandhi (more at Environmental protection quotes)
Do you have any questions, suggestions or other tips for a sustainable home? Then I look forward to your comment.
Stay sustainable,
PS: Maybe you are even about to move into another property or even build a new home yourself? Then make sure you take a look at the most valuable Tips for sustainable building an.
