Sustainable Condo Living: 9 Simple Ways to Make Your Condo More Eco-Friendly
Global warming and climate change have been a news headline nowadays. This brings to attention the need to preserve the environment. And in going green, every move matters, and you can do your share through various condo decor ideas. Whether you own a condo unit for personal use or as an investment, think about how to change your space and make it green.
This includes practicing sustainable condo living and applying the remodeling tips listed below:
Add Plants
The addition of plants to your condo is a great way to improve its aesthetic appeal. It adds color to your interior space.
But more than anything else, adding plants can help improve the indoor air quality. Below are some plants that can help purify the air inside your home:
- Aloe Vera
- Areca Palm
- Elephant Ear Philodendron
- Lady Palm
- Bamboo or Reed Palm
- Rubber Plant
- English Ivy
Before you transfer into your condo, get one or plenty of these plants for a healthy home for you and your family.
Grow Vertically
Speaking of adding plants, it can be an issue to have a garden if you have limited condo space. But if you’re lucky to have a balcony in your unit, there are a handful of condo balcony garden ideas online. Growing plants vertically has several advantages. First, it helps maximize your space. So, even if you don’t have a garden, you can still grow herbs in your kitchen window.
A vertical garden can also help reduce diseases and pests from infecting your plants. That’s because they are being kept off of the ground. It is also easier to visually investigate the plants in case they are not propagating well.
Focus on Insulation
If you live in an older condominium building, the insulation may have slid down inside the walls. When these things happen, the insulation is less efficient at maintaining an ideal climate inside the home.
Luckily, there are now better insulation products available. This includes spray-foam insulation, which you can set up even without professional help. And this type of insulation has excellent benefits with many other options.
For one, you can bolster the energy performance of your home’s HVAC system throughout the year. Another is it can help you soundproof your house.
Use Green Materials
When refurbishing your condo, it would be best to opt for green materials. More so if you are selecting materials for your countertops, backsplash, flooring, and more. For example, bamboo material for wood floors is genuinely environmentally friendly. This is because bamboos have a fast growth rate.
You can also opt for recycled materials, especially if you enjoy DIY home projects. That way, you can drastically reduce your home’s negative environmental impact.
Buy Second-Hand Furniture
Have you acquired antiques from your grandparents? Do you have any unused furniture resting around? Instead of buying new furniture pieces for your condo unit, it is best to opt for second-hand pieces or those made of reclaimed materials.
This will help decrease the waste dumped in landfills and maximize the shelf life of your furniture. Using antiques and old furnishings can also attach an interesting decorative flair to your home.
Switch to LED Lights
You probably already know that LEDs are more suitable for the environment than incandescent bulbs. But more than that, it can last for ten years and can help lower your electricity bill. The only downside (especially for us visually-driven folks) is that many LEDs give off a cool, blue-based light. Meaning, it can cause eye strain and disrupt our sleeping pattern.
That said, it would be best to use LED bulbs that can release a yellow-based light. Nowadays, LED lights that let you pick daylight, soft white, and warm white glow are available in stores.
Recycle
Recycling is another easy step that you can do if you want to support sustainable condo living. For one, check whether your building has recyclable chutes. And then store your recyclables in the chute properly.
Otherwise, there are ways you can recycle. Some examples are making eco-bricks, reusing plastic food containers, or turning old clothes into rags.
Let the Sun Shine
If you’re like most people, you consume about 90% of your days indoors. You might be spending more during winter and summer. But humans developed mostly outdoors. So what happens when we stay indoors most of the time?
We receive less fresh air. Mind you; indoor air quality is typically 2-5 times more polluted than outdoors.
Basically, spending time outdoors and with nature has a positive impact on our well-being. Unfortunately, we are encouraged to stay indoors due to the pandemic. And living in a condo means that you live in a city where there are fewer trees and green spaces.
Nonetheless, we can get a piece of nature by opening our windows to let the sun and fresh air in. If your building has a penthouse or recreational area, you might as well take advantage of it.
Conserve Water
The availability of freshwater is a top concern for environmentalists. That’s because we tend to use more than what nature can supply us. Thus, if you want to practice sustainable condo living, repair any leaks, dripping faucets, and running toilets. When you refurbish your condo unit, ensure to incorporate water conservation features.
A great example would be low-flow toilets and showers. These can help reduce your water consumption without affecting your lifestyle and habits.
Conclusion
Nowadays, many homeowners are willing to incorporate eco-friendly strategies into their condo living. By doing so, you may be able to save energy and conserve water regularly. More than that, you can enjoy the peace of mind that comes from knowing that you are producing less carbon footprint. You may even inspire your friends and neighbors to make similar changes themselves.
Just make sure that your lifestyle is in line with whether you own the condo unit or renting it. Moreover, ensure that you comply with the homeowner association’s rules and regulations.