“The only person for whom the house is in any way special is you, and that is because it happens to be the one you live in.” - Douglas Adams.
Home. Where we plot our steps to seize the day, and then unwind when we return with our wins. Our brightest ideas, warmest memories, the best books we’ve read, the movies we’ve rewatched, the food we’ve shared with our favourite guests, and so forth can all be found in our own version of that simple four-letter word. As climate ambassadors alike, it’s important for us to fortify our bases to suit.
Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, Americans spent 50% of their waking time at home in 2019, versus 62% in 2020. Through water and energy use the average American household will emit 14,020 lbs of CO2e per year. The main consumers of energy in your living arrangement may be electric appliances, lights, and water usage. With an increase in hybrid working scenarios this statistic varies individually, but here are some ways that you can make your home an eco-embassy:
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Overstated: Lights off when you’re not using them. Lights account for 20% of the world’s energy use. Using LED lights instead of fluorescent bulbs can reduce your output by 75%. As well as being efficient, they double the lifetime of their fluorescent counterparts, and 95% of the energy they use goes towards serving their purpose rather than the heat required to do so, and they don’t require as much time to turn and off (Trillo, 2022).
Understated: unplug what you’re not using. When plugged but not in use, our sockets emit phantom or “vampire” energy that can account for 40% of a building's energy use. Devices such as record players, smart televisions, radios, water coolers, and fridges are examples of devices that contain no clock and, therefore consume energy at all times. If we all unplugged devices and electronics that we aren’t using- especially when absent- we could save up to 44 million metric tons of CO2e, -the equivalent of an estimated 10,000 gas cars. But also, I wouldn’t recommend unplugging your fridge- that’s understandable. Food waste is a whole other thing.
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Plants:
Plants are good companions, granted they purify the air by converting CO2 into O2. Particularly, I’d emphasise the importance of having a mangrove. One single mangrove can reduce the equivalent of 1000 miles of flight, and 700 miles in a car (Mangrove Mission). As resilient plants, they can thrive in any circumstance and they allow for your own aesthetic styling. Get a few, they’re very affordable and the companies that provide them take extra steps to offset their scopes 2 and 3 emissions.
Snake plants, mangroves (yea, plugging), cacti, jade plants, and spider plants are a few schedule friendly options that can thrive in most environments and they . Also, the natural light you’ll need to keep your plants happy can do the same for you. P.s get a mangrove.
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Cleaning Products/tools:
A parent would harp “cleanliness and godliness” to me, and that’s something I’ve always remembered. Also, clean space = clean mind, you know? Keeping your space clean is correlated with improved mental health*. To do so sustainably, there are a few things we can implement:
Multipurpose cleaners. This reduces the need for multiple products.
Baking soda can be used in your fridge or to give any household appliances a shine when needed.
There are companies that will accept and recycle your single-use wiping pads into raw materials for new products. Thus creating a circular cycle.
*Check out Camryn Gallagher’s research on climate anxiety if you’d like to know more.
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Laundry:
Wardrobe is a layered topic, and it is one that we’ll cover in the future. Washing and drying can account for 350 lbs CO2e per year. Washing your clothes in an efficient manner can significantly reduce your output (Alexander, 2022). In the wash cycle, 90% of the energy is used to heat water in modern machines, while the automated drying process relies on heat. Due to the durability of these machines, it is recommended to use the most energy-efficient one you can access, because they produce more CO2 in use than in production. I also recommend hanging your favourite pieces because this encourages less energy required in the cycle, and you're preserving the look of the article anyways.
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Bath/wash/rest/ whatever room:
Impacts here include the products we use, and the amount of water and temperature we prefer. Water usage is the dominant cause of CO2e emissions here, so monitoring consumption and temperature can reduce your footprint. I personally understand the appeal of warm showers during Autumn/Fall, and Winter as there are benefits to mental health by doing so. If you would like to consider the environmental relief of a cold shower, there are also healthy benefits such as boosting your metabolism and increasing your blood flow. Importantly, I encourage compromise: A cold shower in the morning, a hot one before bed? Perfect. Overall, tips to reducing your output here can be done by:
Less hot showers, and be wary of water use when brushing your teeth or showering.
LED lights are always a bright idea B)
Products. Things like cleaning products, toothpaste, facewash, and anything you can think of are being made by people and companies that care. You’re welcome to ask me for suggestions! I have a lot.
Ideally, 2-3 showers per towel is a good turnover. So have a few trustee towels in rotation for a weekly wash cycle.
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Kitchen:
The kitchen is where we can express creativity in the name of sustenance. As for what you can cook, however, we’ll cover that later! To reduce your carbon footprint in the kitchen, I would encourage these habits:
Buy local. This can be accounted for in scopes 2 and 3 emissions. By supporting local farmers and distributors, you are reducing your food emissions in transport and oftentimes times the packaging associated with such.
Cooking oils. The oils we use in cooking can determine what we’re contributing to. Palm oils account for 5.70 t CO2e per tonne of production, and contribute heavily to deforestation, while oils such as sunflower use excess water. In the U.S. the cooking oils we use in the kitchen accumulate to 1.2 b CO2e annually, double that of what can be expected from all the country’s cars. In production, they require more land and water than all vegetables, nuts, legumes, and fruits combined. Alternatives with lower output include cultured oil which requires 83% less water and 90% less land in production. *Peanut oil also uses less water due to its deeper roots in comparison to its peers.
*If you decide on peanut oil, always inform your peers if you’re sharing food.
The meat industry is the second biggest abuser of our planet’s systems via the water it consumes, as well as the energy used in distribution. That’s not even the worst thing they do- but I’ll digress until we talk about climate and cuisine.
Products. containers, utensils, cleaning products, oils, and seasonings can all be sourced from people and companies that are doing their part. Reach out if you’d like some direction toward them.
Meal prepping can reduce the amount of energy you consume- by cooking in bulk you require less oils, or heat needed in your oven. By doing so, you also consume less packaging, and energy versus that of bought food throughout the week. As well as the health benefits, the less you’re using your kitchen on a weekly basis the fewer cleaning products you need.
Utensils/cutlery. It’s good practice to have enough reusable cutlery. While bamboo products are good, stainless steel items are durable, aesthetic, and can be easily transported throughout your day. Ideally, once you have a knife, fork, spoon, metal straw, and your own chopsticks, you eradicate your need for quick single-use items in any scenario. I’ve been roasted by friends for this, but I’ve seen one of them adopt the habit- ha.
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Compost/ gardening:
Composting of course is an easy way to dispose of fruit peel, paper waste, veggies, and coffee grounds. The soil produced can go into your plants and is a great way to get the most out of your groceries.
Green thumbing can be fun. Tomatoes, arugula, chives, cilantro, mint, dill, rosemary, and basil are but a few things you can grow out of the comfort of your kitchen. All you need is some light, some jars, and remember their watering schedules. Refer to my citations if you’d like the full list with tips included. Also, my granny endorses this so…
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Art/Entertainment:
Arts and entertainment are an essential part of at-home life, and both can be done sustainably!
Next time you’re looking for a television, particularly for a convenient spot, look for a mini LED projector instead! They are compatible with your computers, tablets, or phones and they use less energy due to the size of their batteries.
Art tells a story, decorate your walls with local works to keep a circular economy in your community, or support artists that partner with climate NPOs. Particularly, nature and climate art remind the viewer of the beauty of our home and reinforces a positive association with the outside. There are great photographers and artists that I can introduce you to if you’d like!
What would downtime be without music? Streaming may in theory seem like the lowest output for music, but there are significant arguments that suggest otherwise. The production of CDs and vinyls requires plastic, packaging, and mileage before it arrives to the consumer, ensuring a hefty dent in all scopes. Streaming, however, not only requires energy for wifi or data and the devices they use but also for the maintenance of hard drives at streamers’ server farms. Within 24 hours of streaming an album digitally, the CO2e surpasses that of what goes into production of a CD (Egeland-Jensen, 2021) I urge you to read the article in the citations list. *Turn tables and record players allow for already made vinyls to be collected, ensuring they are not to be wasted. It is an excellent way to extend its life, and analog sounds objectively better.
*Ask and I’ll send you the information for mine.
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Air/temperature:
As someone based in the northeast, I understand extreme summers and winters- our hottest summer too. Heaters and air conditioners are traditionally the solution but there are other ways we can reduce their necessity. On warmer days a simple act of using a fan rather than the power of an air conditioner can reduce up to 75% of your seasonal output (Malik, 2022). In a study done by the University of Sydney, researchers including Dr. Arunima Malik and her peers concluded that there was no difference in qualitative comfort between rooms that were cooled by the use of fans, and temperatures regulated by air conditioning.
In the depths of winter, heaters can be argued as necessary. Globally, heating our spaces accounts for 40% of our CO2e. To reduce your output you can keep your heater low while consolidating with layers- more so, heated blankets require significantly less energy through the night than a standard heater. Besides, why wouldn’t you want to be in your favourite pyjama sweaters, sweats, and fuzzy socks with a hot chocolate in hand?
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Creativity.
As you delve into sustainability you question most products. Look at the things around you, note your daily habits, and assess if they can be done in an eco-friendly way. One of the joys of this work is learning new ways and sharing it with others, so save that sauce jar for your oats, or throw some soil in it and plant a flower. Personally, I love those glass coffee bottles because they allow me cold water at all times, and they're good pots.
In summary, we spend a lot of time at home and this is a constant that we can control. These may seem like minuscule changes, but collectively they can make a significant difference in your, and the planet’s wellbeing. While climate change is a daunting threat, there is no pressure to be absolutely perfect. Do what you can, when you can, and know that it’s incredible that you did it. Anyway, I’m about to try some more of these myself. See you in the next!
For the Pale Blue Dot,
Nate
Citations
“Assumptions and References for Household Carbon Footprint Calculator” Environmental Protection Agency. 2022.
“Carbon Emissions and Palm Oils” Efeca Briefing Note. 2022.
“Meal Prep to Save the Planet” My Healthy Penguin. 2022.
“Laundry” ClimateChangeResources. https://climatechangeresources.org/take-action/shopping/house-home/laundry/#:~:text=The%20average%20American%20family%20does,around%20179%20million%20metric%20tons.
“In Your Home: Bathroom” ClimateChangeConnection.
“Reducing Your Carbon Footprint in the Kitchen: 7 Ideas” Green Journal. 2021.
“Household Carbon Footprint Calculator” Environmental Protection Agency.
“Recycle Your Swiffer Pads with Terracycle” P&GGoodEveryday.
“The Facts: LED Lighting vs Fluorescent Lighting” Mountain Lighting.
Alexander, Gemma. “Reducing Washer and Dryer Environmental Impacts” Earth911. 2022.
Cole, Laura. “How to Cut Carbon out of Your Heating” BBC. 2020.
Gordon, Sherri. “The Connection Between Decluttering, Cleaning, and Mental Health” VeryWellMind. 2023. https://www.verywellmind.com/how-mental-health-and-cleaning-are-connected-5097496
Egeland-Jensen, Saskia. “The Carbon Footprint of Vinyl Records, CDs, and Music Streaming” Expressive Audio. 2021.
Malik, Arunima. “Wanna be Sustainable and Cool? Choose Fans and Aircons Less” The University of Sydney. 2022.
Nelson, Corey. “Environmentally-Friendly Cooking Oils: The Best and Worst Options” Zero Acre. 2022.
Ponti, Crystal. “Vampire Energy Is Sucking the Life out of Our Planet” Wired. 2022. https://www.wired.com/story/vampire-energy-climate-environment-earth-day/
Porter, Miriam. “37 Ways to Make Your Home More Earth Friendly” House Beautiful. 2022.
Sowden, Hollie. “Does Unplugging Appliances Save Electricity and Money” EcoFlow. 2023. https://blog.ecoflow.com/us/does-unplugging-appliances-save-electricity-and-money/#:~:text=On%20an%20environmental%20note%2C%20a,gas%2Dpowered%20vehicles%20every%20year.
Stainbrook, Dorothy. “Starting A Balcony Herb Garden: Beginner’s Guide” FarmToJar. 2023.
Trillo, Cindy. “Strategies for Reducing the Carbon Footprint of Bathrooms” GreenLodgingNews. 2022.
Wilson-Powell, Georgina. “7 Easy and Quick Green Cleaning Tips For Every Home” Pebble. 2021.
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