I just read that the UN is frustrated about the snail pace of the global efforts to address climate change. Me too!
I’m frustrated. I’m angry. Really angry!
But I’m no Obama. I’m no UN. I don’t have huge money to spend or any influence to peddle to move people or change culture. Does that mean I’m helpless?
No!
I know I can sweep my house and hope others follow suit. I can even encourage them to. I would have made a lot of difference if I do no more.
I’m no climate change expert but I know there are particularly some little ways we can make big impacts that many of us neglect.
The best place to start is … home. Making our homes eco-friendly isn’t that hard afterall. You can do your part in helping the environment by tweaking a couple of things at home with these ideas:
1. Make the most of your windows: Place your windows where the most amount of sunlight and air enters when you're constructing your home from the ground up. That way, you'll use less electrical energy for lights and a/c. Keep windows open to preserve good air flow and to keep your home cool even on a really hot day if possible.
2. Conserve water in toilet and kitchen: Don’t be that guy or gal who leaves the tap opens while he goes out, or that dude who goes to spit in the closet 5 times per hour and flushes it each time, or that folk who washes a cup with 5 litres of water. Trust me, people do all these. Avoid them and you'd see how easy it is to save on water usage at home!
3. Use smart thermostats: These devices enable you to adjust on the go from your mobile device. Some designs feature sensor technology that can measure temperature and occupancy. These smart gadgets can adjust instantly making sure you're comfortable when you're at home and saving energy when you're away.
4. Use energy-saving bulbs: Energy-saving CFLs or LEDs are one thing, now lightbulbs are joining the ranks of smart gadgets. These brand-new energy-efficient bulbs can do everything from altering color with your music to being a high-quality Wi-Fi speaker – all while using just 80% less energy compared with incandescent.
With these home staging tips, having an eco-friendly home isn’t that hard. Getting mad isn’t all we can do about climate change. We can do better. We can use these tips. And we can stay safer.