Greening your home

Adopting a sustainable lifestyle starts at home. From what habits we can change to what new habits we will develop.  Such changes will benefit our purse, our health and ultimately, the planet.

Beware of phantom loads. How many months have we kept the stand by lights of out TV, DVD player and stereo sets on while we are out the whole day? Those little red lights also consume electricity while we are not home. Get a power strip from your favorite hardware or appliance store and plug all those equipment to the power strip or surge protector. As you leave the house, turn them all off. Watch your electric bill do a nosedive.

Change to compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs). There are 9-watt and 12-watt versions with the brightness of a 60-watt or 100-watt bulb. They may be more expensive than ordinary bulbs but they sure eat up very little electricity. They pay off in the long run. CFLs now come in a variety of models and styles. Some even look like halogen bulbs and brighten your home just as well.

Unplug the mobile phone charger. Many of us conveniently leave our mobile phone chargers plugged to the outlets so when we come home to charge our phones all we do is plug the charger into our phones. The chargers, even without a phone at the other end consume electricity that goes to limbo.

Change your toilet fixtures to water savers. There are water closets or toilet fixtures that do half tank flushes and full tank flushes. Maybe it is about time you did a little home repair. Change the water closets, one at a time, and save two and a half gallons of water with each “half-flush.” Or try the old trick. Put a brick inside the tank. This way less water is needed to fill the tank for another flush.

Turn off the tap while brushing. How many times a day do we let the tap run while brushing our teeth? A little trick may save you hundreds in your water bill. Turn off the faucet while you do your “five minute” gum workout.

Use ceiling fans.  Ceiling fans help circulate air and cool the home, rather than always turning on the air-conditioning.  They also make good decorative accents as they now come in different designs with lamps to boot.

Use natural products. Use citronella instead of insect sprays. Use baby powder to deter ants in the pantry. Use banana enzyme disinfectants rather than commercial deodorizers.

Buy more fresh fruits and vegetables, rather than processed foods. You will make a healthier pantry and serve healthier meals. Try to keep your consumption of processed foods to a minimum.

Check your grocery list. Try to avoid buying chemical-based products. Use baking soda to clean your kitchen. Use biodegradable detergents whenever you can.

Brown bag your lunch. Bring a banana or an apple for a snack. Wrap a sandwich or the old-fashioned lunch box (plastic or metal is fine) with rice and some fish or chicken. Bring a set of spoon and fork to work so you can refuse another plastic spoon and fork from your favorite fast food chain.

Buy mineral water by the gallon. Small bottles get wasted and remain in landfills for a long time. Bring a reusable water container to work.

Bring a reusable bag in your briefcase. Even men now carry reusable totes, foldable and compact to be carried around. Try to refuse plastic bags or styrofoam containers when you shop or eat out. Imagine how many plastic bags you will not throw into the landfills.

Tomorrow is the start of another workweek. Try to make a change today. One little change each week should not be difficult to do. Get your family members to join you in making a positive change for your health, your home and a healthier planet. Go green and help save the planet. –Chit Juan, Manila Times

Chit Juan is one of the founders of Echostore sustainable lifestyle at Serendra Taguig City (www.echostore.ph) and with branches at Shangri-La Mactan and Shangri-La Makati Travel Box. She is a social entrepreneur and is a staunch advocate of the environment, women empowerment and leadership among the youth. E-mail her at puj@echostore.ph.