Going green means having a lifestyle that you want and, at the same time, being mindful enough that the choices you make help maintain the ecological balance to preserve the environment and its natural resources.
This is not an easy feat to accomplish when you live in a flat. After all, investing in solar panels and cultivating a large fruit and vegetable garden can be impossible to do in a limited space.
However, living in one of the best apartments in the UAE shouldn’t mean that going green is impossible. There are many ways to lead an eco-friendly lifestyle and take a proactive role in preserving the environment as you stay in your flat.
Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Apartment Living Tips
Below are six simple and doable tips you can follow to have a greener lifestyle as you live in your flat:
1. Minimise Single-Use Items At Home.
There is no denying the fact that single-use plastics are affordable and convenient to use every day and during special occasions. However, these products account for the majority of waste piling up on land and congesting the oceans and other bodies of water.
Eliminating or, at the very least, reducing the use of single-use plastics in your apartment is a great way to start living a more eco-friendly and sustainable lifestyle.
Try replacing plastics you regularly use with reusable alternatives. Swap plastic toothbrushes with bamboo options and plastic wraps with beeswax ones.
Also, instead of stocking up on Ziplock bags for storing food and bringing sandwiches to your office, buy more reusable plastic containers.
Additionally, get tumblers or travel mugs that you can use for buying your favourite beverages from coffee shops. Always have reusable cloth bags on hand when you go shopping or for those unexpected stops at convenience stores.
There are many alternatives to single-use plastics. As such, you won’t find it hard to reduce and even eliminate them from your home completely.
2. Switch From Using Cfl Lights To Led Ones.
If you still have compact fluorescent light or CFL bulbs in your flat, replacing them with light-emitting diodes or LED ones is an easy way to go green in your home.
LED lights are more energy-efficient and eco-friendly options since they use less electricity. Because of this, you can reduce your carbon footprint and save money when you opt for these lighting features.
Additionally, LED lights last longer than CFL bulbs, allowing you to get more value for your money and reducing your need to replace them often.
When you don’t replace busted bulbs frequently, you also help reduce the lighting fixtures that end up in landfills.
3. Conserve Water.
It can be easy to lose track of how much water you waste every day since it is a commodity you use several times during that time.
However, studies show that the average person wastes around 30 gallons of water daily, which means thousands of gallons literally go down the drain every year.
Making some simple lifestyle changes can help you avoid wasting water every day. Examples of these are:
- Taking short showers instead of long baths.
- Replacing your regular showerhead with a water-efficient one.
- Turning off the tap when brushing your teeth and shaving.
- Waiting until you have a full load before using your washing machine.
- Having leaking faucets and pipes repaired immediately.
4. Reduce Your Food Waste.
Food waste is a problem that seems to get bigger every year.
Because of this, you have to start being more mindful about how you shop for, store, and consume food to avoid wasting them.
Startbuying only enough food that you can eat within the week when grocery shopping. Avoid purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables that spoil quickly in bulk if you are sure you won’t be able to consume them immediately and they will likely end up in the rubbish bin.
Also, when creating meal plans, prioritise using ingredients that spoil fast and use leftovers wisely.
But even if you follow these tips, you won’t completely eliminate food waste. The best solution is to start composting.
A well-chosen compost bin helps you get rid of leftovers and provides you with free fertiliser you can use for your plants without the nasty odour and mess.
When managed properly, which includes composting only the right foods, your compost bin won’t emit unpleasant odours and attract bugs.
5. Develop Your Green Thumb.
Sprucing up your apartment with plants adds colour and a vibrant feel to your interior and enhances your home’s overall aesthetic appeal.
Plants are also excellent natural decorations since they improve indoor air quality.
Snake plants, aloe vera, lady palm, and rubber plants are some types of flora that help purify indoor air. As such, populate your flat with these natural decors.
Aside from decorative varieties, cultivate herbs as well. They don’t take up a lot of space since you can plant them in small pots and place them on windowsills.
By growing your own herbs, you’ll always have fresh ones to add to your dishes. Moreover, you’ll be able to use the compost you’re making.
Lastly, decorate your home with fresh flowers to give it a pleasant scent. This helps you avoid using artificial air fresheners that contain toxic ingredients which are harmful to your health and the environment.
6. Use Natural Cleaning Products.
Switching to eco-friendly, natural cleaning products helps the environment significantly. It also allows you to experience several health benefits.
By using natural cleaning products, you are exposed to fewer harsh chemicals that can cause respiratory diseases and other side effects, such as headaches, dizziness, and skin, nose, and throat irritation.
There are already many natural cleaning products in the market, so you won’t find it hard to buy the ones you want for your specific needs, such as laundry, dishwashing, and sanitising surfaces.
You can even make your own organic cleaning products with items you already have in your home, such as vinegar, baking soda, and lemon.
Making and using homemade natural cleaning solutions offer several benefits that you should consider doing immediately. Since they are made of organic substances, they are safer for the environment.
They also do not contain toxic substances and have strong smells that can harm your health.
There are plenty of DIY tutorial videos online you can follow to create your homemade natural cleaning products so you won’t fail to make your own.
There are many ways to go green when you live in an apartment. Startfollowing these tips and you’ll do your part in saving the planet, be healthier, and save money all at the same time.
