---

Today’s guest post is by a very patient man who has been waiting for me to get this online for quite sometime!  Between being on vacation, having to help arrange the funeral for my husband’s grandmother this week and trying to deal with other flotsam & jetsam that comes up, it got lost in the summer shuffle. Thanks for your patience, Derek…

—————————-

Want to go green this summer but don’t have thousands of dollars to spend on solar panels for your roof or a new hybrid car for your garage? Luckily, there are plenty of ways that you can make your home more eco-friendly without spending a lot of money. In fact, some of these go-green techniques will even save you money in the long run!

Take Advantage of Sunlight
Open up the curtains, pull up the blinds and let the natural sunlight stream into your home instead of turning on the lights. Sunlight is free, completely renewable and there is plenty of it in the summertime. You will save money on your electricity bills and reduce your carbon foot print at the same time. Sunlight is also great for getting your daily dosage Vitamin D, improving your mood and regulating your sleep habits.
Switch to Chemical- Free Cleaning Products
One of the easiest and cheapest ways to make your household more green is to switch to eco-friendly laundry and cleaning products. Ecover and BioD cleaning products are free of chemicals that harm the environment and can be purchased rather inexpensively at most retail stores. Lemons, vinegar and baking soda also work as effective cleaners if you want to go completely natural.
Ditch Your AC
You may think that you can’t live without air conditioning during the hot summer months. But air conditioners are not at all eco-friendly and the chemicals used in many models are suspected of causing damage to the ozone layer. Plus, if you trade in your AC for a good old-fashioned swamp cooler and you could slash your monthly utility bills by up to 50 percent. If the idea of a swamp cooler does not thrill you, only use your AC during the hottest times of day and vow to use fans most of the time.
Save Water
Water conservation is often a problem for many households during the summertime. You use a lot of water to keep your grass green for backyard barbecues, your shower frequency probably increases and your pool uses up more water than you care to know. To save water, only water your grass every other day, take quick showers instead of baths and avoid using your pool altogether if possible. You can also try installing inexpensive low-flow shower heads and sink spigots and only washing your clothes when you can fill the machine all the way. If you are diligent in your water-conservation efforts, you will likely see large decreases in your monthly water bills.
Use Green Paint
Using a greener kind of paint does not mean that you have to paint your pretty ivory walls bright lime green. It simply means trading in traditional paints for more a more environmentally friendly option. Conventional paints contain a bunch of ingredients such as toxic metals and solvents that are really bad for the planet. Eco-friendly paints like Farrow & Ball and Little Greene come in every color imaginable and are all Co2 neutral, mineral based and toxin free so they won’t harm the planet. In most cases, eco-friendly paint brands are just as affordable as other types of paint.
This post was written by guest author Derek who frequently blogs about home security and other home-related topics at YourLocalSecurity.com.

• Pin It
• Share
• Tweet