Dependable Steps for Going Green
Earth Day will be celebrated worldwide on April 22nd. Earth Day stands to spread awareness on the importance of environmental protection, and the steps individuals can take in their daily lives to move towards a healthy and sustainable existence.
Protecting the Earth starts at home. So why not start by protecting the most precious resource this Earth provides – water?
There are countless steps that residents in a household can take to decrease their overall water usage throughout their daily lives while maintaining a healthy and happy quality of life.
Some dependable and proven techniques for going green and reducing water consumption include:
Install Eco-Friendly Plumbing Fixtures
Modern day plumbing fixtures and technologies have been developed to help individuals and families limit the amount of water that they use without directly affecting their habits and routines. Examples of some eco-friendly plumbing fixtures include:
Low-flush toilets- Faucet Aerators
- Automatic/timed faucets
- Dual-flush toilets
- Low-flow showerheads
Get Rid of Water Bottles and Invest in a Water Filtration System
Water bottles are a huge pollutant in America, where people purchase more bottled water than anywhere else in the world, with over two million tons sitting in landfills today.
Water filtration systems work to remove impurities from a home’s water supply, such as dirt, clay, silt, and other sediment. This filtration process can be installed throughout an entire home, and provide families with healthy drinking water straight from the tap.
Invest in Tankless Water Heaters
Tankless water heaters, also known as on-demand water heaters, are able to heat water in a much more energy-efficient way than traditional water heater tanks.
The process works by having water from pipes heated in the tankless water heater using electrical elements or gas burners that heat as hot water is necessary.
Traditional water heating units must continually be filled and heated, creating an inefficient energy cycle.
If you live in a house where large appliances, such as dishwashers or laundry machines, must be used simultaneously, consider installing tankless water heaters at more than one hot water output to ensure that you have a sufficient flow of hot water, continuously.
Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
Along with ensuring that your home’s plumbing system is as eco-friendly as possible, there are habits that can be cultivated to reduce your family's overall carbon footprint. A carbon footprint is a measurement of environmental impact, measured in units of carbon.
For example, washing clothes in cold water can save a family up to 500 pounds of carbon emissions each year.
Another method of reducing your carbon footprint is to ensure that your furnace is working efficiently, by performing regular maintenance and replacing filters a couple of times a year.
