[How to] live in a sustainable home!

What is a sustainable home?

A sustainable home is one that is more liveable, healthier, saves you money on water and energy bills, is constructed using environmentally efficient materials and thereby reduces its environmental impact and is useable for you throughout all of your life stages.

Here's some information and inspiration to make your home more sustainable.

Insulation

A well-insulated home can stay cooler in summer and warmer in winter, thanks to the material acting as a seal between the inside and outside of your house. This means heating and cooling bills are reduced in properly insulated buildings, which, in turn, can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Here are some of our favourite blogs on Insulation:

Keeping energy costs down this winter: easy DIY draught-proofing

MIND THE GAP – HOW TO STOP YOUR HOUSE LEAKING MONEY.

Appliances

Inefficient appliances, chargers left plugged in, TVs on stand-by, power-hungry downlights; the list is endless. There are smart ways for everyone to beat rising electricity and gas costs and cut pollution. It's surprisingly easy to save 20% of your household electricity consumption.

Here are some of our favourite blogs on saving energy through appliances:

Five Suprising Energy Hogs Around the Home

iPhone vs fridge – which has a higher electricity usage?

In The Kitchen

The appliance you use, actually does not have too much impact on the amount of energy you use. For example, I had assumed that cooking rice or steamed vegetables in the microwave would be more efficient than doing it on the stove top. After looking into it though, the difference is quite negligible. More important is what you cook and the method you use, rather than the appliance.

Saving POWER in the kitchen by Julie Goodwin 'Australias first Master Chef'

Tips for saving energy in the kitchen & a no cook tart recipe by Dominique Rizzo

Grocery Shopping

How we live, and the choices we make with our money affect the planet, its climate and future generations. As women we make most of the spending decisions that determine how our households impact on the environment. One of the best ways to prevent food waste is to plan your meals in advance, purchasing all groceries with sustainability in mind - this means shopping lists should be seasonal, local and made to have as little waste as possible.

Less Waste, More Time: Your sustainable weekly meal planner 1

Less Waste, More Time: Your sustainable weekly meal planner 2

Utilise eco-friendly cleaning products:

Cleaning your house shouldn't come at a cost to the environment. However, traditional cleaning products may have been doing more harm than good, as many have been manufactured using crude oil.

Check out these easy alternatives:

DIY HANDY HINTS – 7 WAYS TO REUSE A BANANA PEEL

Handy Hints for DIY – 10 alternative uses for vinegar

7 tried and tested uses for baking soda

Do you have any other tips on making a home more sustainable? Leave them in the comments below!

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