Guyana has taken the path to a green economy. With this in mind, our two previous articles aimed to nudge you along this green path by encouraging you to become involved in creating green spaces and in making the choice for green infrastructure. While communities can play a big role in creating green spaces, inroads into green infrastructure are best made at the national level. This week, our focus is on opportunities that exist for households to travel along the green path.

Taking the green path is important now more than ever. The impacts of climate change, and soaring energy costs are frequently making front-page news. As such, it is no longer possible to turn a blind eye to the changes taking place in the environment since, what happens there, determines the quality of our lives. As households, we have the power to make the choice for eco-friendly living. Each of us, in our homes, can choose to make lifestyle changes which can add up and lead to a slowdown the negative environmental changes occurring on Earth. Eco-friendly living is about conserving our natural resources – water, land, forests, wildlife etc. and reducing the wastes we put into the environment.

Greening Homes
There are many benefits to making your home green, from getting a better return on your investment to having a positive impact on the environment. Here are some ways in which greening your home is beneficial:

 Improves indoor air quality.
 Saves energy and lowers maintenance costs.
 Reduces the incidence of stress and disease.
 Makes you more productive and gives you a sense of accomplishment.
 Has a positive impact on the environment.
 Reduces our demand on natural resources.

How to make your home green
There are many steps you can take to make your home green. Here are some ideas:

 Swap household chemicals

Switch from the cleaning products you normally use, such as, soaps, wipes, air fresheners and other detergents and aerosols to greener line of cleaners. This is one way you to make your home ecofriendly and your family safe. Eco-friendly household cleaning products are widely available on the market and help to reduce air pollution both indoors and outdoors. Changing to these options can minimize you and your family’s exposure to asthma and allergy triggers. Look for plant-based products from companies that have a complete list of ingredients on their labels. Green products are generally milder and gentler on your hands and eyes.

Use energy efficient equipment
When purchasing electrical appliances, it is advisable to look for the energy star label. This label indicates that a product has been deemed energy efficient. Energy star appliances offer significant cost and energy savings without compromising performance. They have built-in mechanisms to shut off after a certain time of inactivity and maximize energy efficiency when in use.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Using the 3Rs approach is a way to support the cause of going green in your home. Practice reducing the amount of waste you produce, reuse items a few times before you get rid of them and encourage and support products that are recyclable. One way you can reduce the amount of waste you produce is by choosing to buy reusable instead of disposable items. Composting is another simple way to recycle organic waste into a useful product for plants.

Install Solar Panels
Solar energy is a clean and renewable source of energy. The abundant sunshine we experience here in the tropics is ideal for this type of technology. Solar panels may be expensive at first, but the long-term savings you can put into your pocket, is a stunning example of the benefits of turning your life along the green path. You may not be able to make the transition immediately, but with small steps, you can do it. For those who are now building houses, businesses or other institutions, do your cost benefit analysis and choose wisely in favour of green.

Rainwater Harvesting Systems
Install a rainwater collecting (harvesting) system in your home to store collected water in a tank. This water can be used for other purposes, such as, toilets, laundry and sprinkler systems. Rain barrels are one of the most common methods of rainwater harvesting you can employ. Instead of using water from the mains, collect and use rainwater for chores around the house and yard. Ensure you follow the guidelines for proper collection and storage of rainwater to avoid any health issues.

Water Conserving Fixtures
Installing low-flow faucets, toilets, showerheads etc. are a few water-conserving fittings that you use when building a green home. Such fittings can cut down on your water bill and make your home much more environment friendly. Apart from this, consider buying a washing machine and dishwasher that give you the same kind of cleaning but saves on water and energy.

Now that you are aware of steps that you take to green your home, do you put into practice these great ideas. Going green does not mean expensive investments, simple things such as turning off lights and taps when not in use, unplugging appliances when not in use, utilizing natural lighting and air, buying locally grown food, and having plants indoor to act as natural air filters are easy low-cost ways to start to make your home green.

Sources
https://www.proudgreenhome.com/articles/ask-the-expert-5-benefits-of-living-in-a-green-home/

As always, feel free to reach out to us at the Environmental Protection Agency by giving us a call on 2255471-2 or 2255467 or on our facebook page @epaguyana for more ideas and tips.