Today, people are more environmentally conscious than ever. They make sure that what they eat, drive, and even build is all sustainable and friendly to the environment. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the biggest green trends happening in the home improvement industry.
Eco-friendly Flooring
More and more homeowners are making the switch to environmentally safe flooring. Some popular forms of green flooring are bamboo, cork, sustainable hardwood, and recycled linoleum. Not only are these flooring options eco-friendly, but they are also stylish and affordable.
Solar Energy
Solar power is somewhat like the poster-child of green building. It’s been around for quite some time now and is one of the highest impact green building elements today. It can even pay for itself over a span of several years. Yes, you will be paying a lot upfront for the panels themselves and installation, but your electric bills will be reduced drastically and save you more money in the long-term.
Natural Cotton Insulation
Natural cotton insulation is actually just a fancy term for recycled denim. That’s right, denim jeans are now diverted from piling up in the landfill and are actually being used to regulate temperature in your home. The huge bonus with denim insulation is that there is literally zero waste when producing it and it doesn’t contain any chemical irritants like its traditional counterpart. Another bonus to having any sort of insulation in your home is that it keeps the heating and cooling bills down by keeping your home at a relatively constant temperature.
Other Exterior Green Building
There are two major outdoor renovations that many homeowners may overlook when thinking about making their home more eco-friendly. Both your home’s fence and garage door are potentially two big items that can be damaging to the environment. Massive amounts of wood or steel are used for both of these structures, leading to deforestation and large amounts of energy expended. Try instead to use recycled wood or bamboo on your fence, and use reclaimed wood garage doors as well.
There are many agencies and organizations out there to help you get more educated on what you can do to go green with your next project.
Photo by Alberto Castillo Q. on Unsplash
