Written by contributing author: Lisa Walker
Like so many things in life, making an effort towards an eco-friendly lifestyle begins at home. The amenities and other features of a house or rental property can help us ensure that our daily activities are as kind to the environment as possible. To get started with choosing an eco-friendly rental home, keep these common best practices in mind during your house hunt to get going on the right foot.
Find Amenities That Help the Environment
There are some key amenities to search for when hunting for an eco-friendly home, condo, or apartment rental. Among the most obvious features are solar panels that use natural energy to power the property. In addition to helping the environment, studies show that using solar panels can save you money in the long run. To further lessen your energy usage, take advantage of properties equipped with energy star appliances that meet strict energy efficiency standards. Water conservation is another aspect of eco-friendly homes and can be achieved through low-flow fixtures including showerheads, toilets, and dishwashers.
Let Your Home Support Your Eco-Friendly Lifestyle
The many roles that a home plays in your life will lead to other opportunities for engaging in eco-friendly practices. Renting a location that is close to your workplace can allow you to cut down on excessive driving, or eliminate driving altogether in favor of walking, biking, or public transportation. In a similar vein, your future home may be conveniently located near a recycling or composting center. There are countless subtle changes you can make in other areas of your life to start being more eco-friendly, and getting a fresh start in a new home could be just the catalyst you need to start eating organic food, using less paper or making any number of other green decisions on a daily basis.
Make Upgrades to Your Current Rental
Not every rental property is going to come equipped with the amenities for an eco-friendly lifestyle. Fortunately, there are some simple environmentally conscious upgrades that can be made to any home. Installing a smart thermostat or LED light bulbs will help with the energy conservation effort. One change that is often overlooked is the types of cleaning products and chemicals used throughout the home, as some are definitely more harmful to the environment than others. As a final consideration, shopping for secondhand household items is another way to put your own small dent in the environmental damage caused by mass manufacturing.
Prepare for the Big Move
Searching for an eco-friendly home that suits your lifestyle is a huge challenge in itself. This is compounded by the burdensome moving process that all house hunters must deal with. Professional moving services make the relocation smooth and easy, but it would be prudent to compare quotes and reviews of movers in your area. Some movers are uniquely qualified to move larger pieces of furniture, and there might be a specialized eco-friendly furniture mover near you that strives to eliminate waste or take more efficient routes.
An eco-friendly home is a strong foundation for an environmentally conscious lifestyle. Finding fulfillment in pro-environment home life is a steppingstone towards making a difference for the ecosystem in greater ways. To start doing more, explore the remote services offered by The Conservationist Collective and additional services available locally to the Kailua area.
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