This post has 4 practical tips to help you create an Eco Friendly Apartment.
Creating an eco friendly apartment doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive.
With a few small changes, you can greatly reduce your environmental footprint, and save money while keeping your day-to-day relatively unchanged.
From energy saving to waste reduction ideas, this post offers a wide range of tips and tricks to help you on your way to an eco friendly apartment.
Whether you choose to implement all of these ideas or only a few, every little change towards a more eco-friendly and sustainable lifestyle makes a difference.
So, Join us as we explore these practical hacks and discover how you can make a difference every day.
1. Eco Friendly Apartment: Optimize Energy Efficiency
Lowering the amount of electricity used daily is a great way to live more sustainably. Not only will these habits, lower your bills and reduce your consumption but simple ideas like opening curtains in the winter to allow the sun to heat the room add a cozy comfort that you just can’t buy.
Here are some simple ways to reduce energy consumption:
Unplug And Turn Off
Growing up we all heard the yells ” Who left this light on?” it turns out our parents were right. Lights left on and electronics left plugged”d in when not in use do use phantom energy constantly.
This tip is more habit-making than an actual one-time action but I promise it does make a small difference but still a difference.
Alternatively, opt for smart options.
LED lights & Smart Power Strips
If you are not using LED bulbs now is a great time to start. Next time you need to change a bulb swap it out for an LED or Smart bulb. LED and Smart bulbs use drastically less electricity and come in a wide range of tones and programmable colors. They are great for lighting an apartment hallway with no natural light. A smart bulb can be turned off even when you are not home, and a timer can be set to ensure no light is left on.
This same programmability is available with smart power strips, program the strips to turn off at the same time every weekday while you’re at work so you are using next to no power when you are not home.
Up Your Insulation
Improving your insulation around windows and doors makes a massive difference in heating and cooling costs.
Traditional heating and cooling is a large drain on resources and it uses a lot of electricity and gas to heat and cool every home.
While living in an apartment means you can’t simply insulate your walls and change to better windows and doors there are other ways to stylishly improve your insulation.
Thermal Insulated Curtains are great for both winter and summer. They work remarkably well and double as blackout curtains.
A Door Curtain is an old but terrific option. Used originally to stop the cold air from leaking into the house through old doors. You can use a thermal curtain or a wool blanket hang it up in front of the door and feel the difference in both summer and winter.
Follow The Sun
Come Summertime close everything up just before the sun starts to heat up. This is a cooling technique I learned from years of living in the South Of France. From mid-morning or just before the sun starts to heat up, for me, that’s about 9 am close everything – shutters, blinds, and windows too. Shutters aim to stop the sun from hitting the glass, the same works for thermal curtains to minimize the heat from the window from getting into the apartment. Once the sun goes down open everything up for the night. Rinse and repeat.
The sun is your best friend in the Winter. Allow the sun to soak your apartment in the winter and close the blinds and shutters at night or once the sun has passed its peak to keep the warmth in. So, the opposite of summertime.
2. Eco Friendly Apartment: Reduce Water Consumption
Water is a precious resource t
Install Low-Flow Faucets & Showerheads
Low-flow and aerated faucets and shower heads can reduce your water consumption by up to 60%.
A water-efficient showerhead doesn’t affect water pressure, however, if you have a water pressure issue opt for a High-Pressure Showerhead as long as the flow rate is below 2 GPM ( gallons per minute). A flow rate of under 2 GPM is classed as water efficient and lower is a bonus.
Use A Dishwasher
Dishwashers have proven time and time again to be more water and energy-efficient than washing dishes by hand.
If you have a small kitchen then you can still have your dream eco friendly apartment with a mini or portable dishwasher. they are just as efficient as a traditional dishwasher even more due to their smaller size.
Shower Bucket
While this might seem extreme placing a bucket in your shower catches a lot of water.
You can use this water for your plants or those with no laundry room and use either the soaking, handwashing method or a portable washing machine this water can be used instead of freshwater.
3. Eco Friendly Apartment: Make Sustainable Choices
Making sustainable choices is one of the easiest steps. Any choices you make from reducing energy consumption to using cutlery instead of plastic make a difference no matter how big or small.
Here a 3 or the endless ideas towards an eco friendly apartment and living sustainably.
Buy Energy-efficient Appliances
By purchasing energy-efficient appliances you not only reduce your impact but can easily save money over time.
Remember, the most expensive doesn’t mean the most energy-efficient or the best quality. Do some research and find a balance between quality and energy efficiency.
Choose Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products And Personal Care Items
Opting for eco-friendly and soil-safe cleaning products makes a huge difference to water quality and improving soil and water environments.
Once again this is another option that is about balance, personal circumstances, and preferences play a large part in sustainability.
Choose a cleaner that is best for both you and the environment.
Outside of medical or health reasons eco friendly and natural personal care options are not only great for your skin but also a better option for the environment.
Opt for second-hand or upcycled furniture
The great thing about living in an urban area is the amount of furniture that is left outside, ready to be picked up. Combining sidewalk items, marketplaces, and thrift shops saves money on furniture and home decor. It prevents items from going into landfills not to mention the cool and unique items that can be found second-hand that bring interest into your home decor.
4. Eco Friendly Apartment: Minimize Waste
While living in an apartment the fewer unnecessary things you have the better, including waste. By opting for sustainable swaps you can reduce the amount of items in your apartment and the number of items sent to landfills. Not to mention the financial benefits of owning fewer things but having items that have a dual purpose.
Recycle And Compost
Recycling packaging and composting food scraps can easily cut your trash by at least half.
Composting in an apartment seems hard and smelly however there are so many options available that not only do a great job at dealing with food waste but also minimizing waste.
As for packaging jars are perfect for food storage, glasses, and home decor.
The easiest way to rescue food waste and packaging is to keep a well-stocked and organized fridge.
Reduce Single-Use Plastics
Another crucial but fun step towards an eco friendly apartment.
Focusing on buying durable and long-lasting items instead of disposable options is one of the biggest moves in sustainability.
The amount of ways to reduce single-use plastics is endless some ways are reusable shopping bags, travel mugs, use of jars or old food packaging when buying package-free food, beeswax wraps to replace cling wrap, etc.
The options are endless.
5. Eco Friendly Apartment: Bring Nature Indoors
Bringing nature inside is a terrific way to add ambiance that looks amazing. It’s an easy and cheap stress reliever and that improves not only air quality but the feeling of a space.
Grow Your Food
Growing indoors is a lot easier than it might seem and even easier if you have a balcony or an outdoor space.
From plants in the window to a full hydroponic setup like Click And Grow that is not only easy but looks great in any space.
Decorate With Plants
Plants add a little something special to an apartment, even the smallest apartment.
The philosophy behind the biophilic design is to improve health and wellness by adding natural elements to your space.
From improving air quality to using plants as privacy plants are a great addition to an apartment.
If you opt for an apartment composter you can use the result as fertilizer and use the water from your shower to water them. Creating a little closed system.
- Eco-Friendly Party Favors – 20 Practical Choices for Every Celebration
This post is full of some of the best eco-friendly party favors, great for any event and party. As we seek to reduce our carbon footprint and embrace more planet-friendly choices, eco-friendly party favors have taken center stage. Whether you’re hosting a birthday bash, wedding, or corporate event, these 20 practical and diverse party favors… - Spring Arts and Crafts: Sustainable DIY Decor
Enjoy creative and eco-friendly Spring Arts and Crafts ideas. Join us as we explore innovative ways to bring the beauty of the season into your home through handmade creations that not only celebrate the spirit of spring but also contribute to a more sustainable lifestyle. Crafting your decor not only adds a personal touch but… - Growing Indoors: Perfect For Apartment LivingThis post discovers genius ways to growing indoors Living in an apartment comes with perks and compromises. Such as losing outdoor space to live closer to work or your favorite neighborhood. Gardening and plants in general have been proven to be terrific stress relievers. Not to mention the potential savings and health benefits of growing your herbs, fruits, and vegetables.
- Biophilic Design For Your Small Urban Home
If you enjoy incorporating nature into your home decor, you might want to try biophilic design. This design style uses natural elements such as materials, light, vegetation, and outdoor views to create a relaxing and productive living space. - Easy Upcycling Ideas to Transform Everyday Items
Are you looking for easy upcycling ideas that can transform your unwanted items into unique and beautiful home decor? You’re in the right place. Upcycling is not just a trend but a genius way to bring new life to old are unused pieces, it reduces waste and ultimately can save you money. Upcycling can be…
