4 Sustainable Cost-Saving Ideas for Your Household
In 2019, the average person from the United States consumed 305 million Btu, or British thermal units, a measurement of heat energy. You can see just how much is used and track energy rates by state with resources available at EnergyBot’s website.
The primary energy sources in the United States are natural gases, coal, petroleum, nuclear energy, and renewable energy. 80% of the total energy was powered by fossil fuels and only 11% by renewable energy in 2019. We need to do better.
Fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas, and petroleum are responsible for air pollution, global climate change, and contaminated waters. In the years to come, we need to increase renewable energy use because it’s sustainable, clean, and healthier for everyone.
As a bonus, when you invest in renewable energy, you’ll save money because the sun, wind, and water are all free resources. We’re going to go over some sustainable cost-saving ideas for your home to start making the change.
Put up a Clothesline
A washer and dryer are standard items in most households, but they use a lot of energy. Putting up a rotary clothesline in your backyard is an affordable switch and more eco-friendly. You’ll be using the wind and sun instead of electricity to dry your clothes.
Your clothes will last longer, too, as the high heat of dryers can cause your items to shrink, fade the colors, and damage the fabrics.
Buy a Reusable Water Bottle
In the United States, it’s a luxury that you can drink straight out of the tap. In many countries worldwide, the water is unsafe to drink, and people must boil it or buy filtered water. So, there’s no need to purchase plastic single-use bottles for our homes in the US.
Plastic takes hundreds of years to decompose and requires a significant amount of energy to produce. Investing in a reusable water bottle will encourage you to drink the water from your faucet. The planet and your bank account will thank you.
Use Cloth Instead of Paper Products
Products like paper towels and napkins are everyday household items, but they’re only single-use and expensive. Instead, you need to switch to reusable items.
These items might cost more than a pack of paper products, however, that one-time investment will last you years if you take care of them. You’ll impact the number of trees cut down, waste created, and energy used for production.
After a few uses, you can hand wash them in the sink and put them out on your clothesline to dry for the next use.
Get a Quality Coffee Pot
Some of us are guilty of going to a coffee shop every morning for our cup of joe. Shaking this habit will save you money and reduce your waste production. Making coffee at home can save you anywhere between $240 to $1,200 a year, depending on how often you go and how much you spend.
If you get coffee on your way to work five days a week, you’re using about 260 cups and lids in a year. When you make coffee at home and use a reusable mug, you’ll reduce your waste.
Stay clear of the coffee pots that make one cup and use plastic pods. Yes, these are convenient, but they won’t save you any money or reduce your impact. These need a lot of energy to heat up for just a single-use.
Instead, get a traditional coffee pot so you can make a lot at once. The machine will only have to heat up once, and you’ll have ten or more cups of coffee. If you can’t drink that much in one day, chill it and have iced coffee the next morning.
The Bottom Line
All of these small changes will add up to a significant impact, both financially and environmentally. We all need to do better to reduce our energy consumption, use renewable energy when possible, and purchase reusable items.
