You've already taken the first step to green living - moving into a small space in an existing building. But did you know that there are many other ways you can live green in an apartment? Read on to learn some of these ways.
Your kitchen
Think about how you drink water, juice, and other beverages. Can you use a reusable container? If the water in your apartment isn't very good, you can install a water filter on the tap or use a countertop model. Then you can just refill your bottle as you need. You'll also recoup your investment quickly by saving the money you would otherwise spend on bottled water.
Power outlets
Just having something plugged in can actually draw electricity through it, even if the appliance or device on the other end is not on. If you aren't actually using the device, make sure you unplug it. You can cut your power usage by as much as 40%, based on studies that have been done.
Adjust that thermostat
No doubt you've heard that changing your thermostat can reduce your electricity bill. It's true. Turn down your winter thermostat to 68 degrees and you will be able to save quite a lot of both money and electricity. Conversely, turning your thermostat up in the summer and using windows strategically to let in the cooler night air will save on your air conditioning costs.
If your complex allows you, you can even use a plastic film over the windows to keep out the cold in the winter or the heat in the summer. Even if you are not allowed to do this, you can use heavy curtains that will help block out strong sun rays and keep you warmer when the nights turn cold.
Appliances
If you have appliances in your units like washing machines and dryers, use them only when you have full loads to make the most of your water and power. Remember, the machine uses the same resources regardless of what is inside. The same is true of a dishwasher. Make sure it is full before running it.
Plant some plants
The fresh air that plants can help generate goes a long way towards cleaning the air in your apartment. There are lists you can find of great indoor plants, so long as your apartment managers allow for them. Even if you can't grow any indoors, you might be able to have a small container garden on your patio and have fresh veggies and fruit. There's also a concept called vertical gardening that lets you even grow squash in a small area.
Green cleaning
You can find greener cleaners in the organics section of most grocery stores, so your laundry and dishes will have less of an impact on the environment. They don't have heavy perfumes, either, so your air will stay naturally fresher.
Light switch
Just changing your regular incandescent bulbs out for fluorescent or LED bulbs will use less electricity and give you a longer lasting bulb. LEDs can last for years, recovering the investment in them along the way.
As you can see, it's actually pretty easy to go green, even when you are just renting your apartment. So what are you waiting for? Go green today!
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