Living green in your home does not require LEED certification, solar panels or a state-of-the-art geothermal heating and cooling system. In 7 simple (and inexpensive) steps you can transform your home life into one unburdened by the guilt that comes from excessive waste, wanton consumption and the use of noxious toxins. In other words, it IS easy being green!
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Step 1: Reduce Bottled Water Consumption
Kick the bottled water habit.
The rise of the wholesale stores like Sam's Club, Costco, BJ's and the like have made it easier than ever for homeowners to purchase pallet upon pallet of bottled water for the home. Despite research to the contrary, the misconception pervades that bottled water is "safer" or "cleaner" than the water that comes out of the tap. These two factors have helped contribute to the 8 million gallons of bottle water consumed by Americans alone in 2008.
While bottled water certainly has its place in the home as a safe back-up should municipal water supply become compromised (due to natural disaster or some similar event), there is little question that the installation of a water filter will not only reduce plastic pollution but it will also save money over the life of the filter. If done on a wide scale it would make a dent in the 17 million barrels of oil required annually to meet U.S. demands for bottled water.
Consumers exploring a home water filtration system have no shortage of options. There are both faucet-mounted and under-the-sink filters as well as whole-home filters. The latter tends to be a project for a professional plumber, but the smaller, localized filters are easy for even the novice DIYer. Watch How to Install a Below-Counter Water Filtration System
Veteran water filter shoppers will be no strangers to phrases like "carbon filter," "ionizer" and "reverse-osmosis." Options in water filtration method abound. Before opting for a system marketed as the latest and greatest, a homeowner should take the time to have a water test done on the home supply to determine what contaminants -- if any -- are present. Only then can an educated decision on water filtration type be made. Read more on Selecting a Water Filtration System
Kicking the plastic habit at home is a great way to save money, keep plastic out of the landfills and reduce the county's dependence on oil. It's a perfect first step to a Greener Home.
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