Want to make your home more environmentally friendly while also saving money? Why not start from your bathroom? There are several ways to make your bathroom more ecologically sound, from installing skylights to recycled toilet paper. Check out these starting points for a better and greener home improvement.
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Switch to Reusable Bathroom Bottles
Even though giving up single-use plastic may seem like an overwhelming or nearly impossible chore, it might actually be simpler than you think. You wouldn’t believe how many alternatives there are to throw-away plastic products on the market today.
One prevalent misconception about reusable plastic substitutes is that they’re more expensive. While this may have been the case in the past, it is no longer accurate. In fact, most of the convenient refillable bathroom pump bottles cost around the same as their one-time-use counterparts. You only buy them once and then save money in the long run by filling them up as needed.
Plus, fewer trips to the store for more plastic bottles means that you’ll be doing your part to reduce packaging waste and your carbon footprint. Every time you choose to reuse instead of dispose, you’re making a difference. Not to mention it saves you time and energy by letting you do something else and not make frequent visits to the store.
The more you cut down on plastic waste, the fewer resources are needed to recycle and process them, which conserves energy. And seeing as not all items are recycled either, it’s best to avoid plastic altogether when possible and stick to refillable bathroom pump bottles instead.
Use Recycled Building Materials
Your bathroom can be more sustainable if you use eco-friendly materials like bamboo, concrete, steel, glass, porcelain, and reclaimed wood. You may use these building materials in your bathroom as flooring, recycled tile, and more. Using recycled products has a plethora of advantages that can save you money and help the environment.
Need a spot to store all of your bathroom essentials? Instead of the typical vanity, go with one made of reclaimed wood! Using recycled materials like reclaimed wood is a sustainable approach because these products were created with toxin-emitting machinery. Or if you’re creating a vanity, using salvaged wood can reduce costs right off the bat. You can also use something from your own home, like an old bookcase, nightstand, or dresser to create a DIY vanity with repurposed components.
Choose VOC-Free Paint
VOC-free paints, finishings, and varnishes are essential for your bathroom because VOCs are harmful and terrible for the environment. This environmentally friendly choice lowers chemicals that cause allergies and has less of an impact on air quality. Additionally, the paint has a durable finish, high coverage, and dries quickly. In your neighbourhood home improvement store, check for “non-toxic” paint manufactured from organic materials.
Reduce Waste with a Green Bin
Using an eco-friendly trash can in your bathroom can drastically cut down on waste and rubbish! To remove anything from your space, you can use a wicker basket or a recycled plastic can. Utilize biodegradable and simple-to-recycle compostable garbage bags! Alternatively, you may include a small compost container in the restroom to house biodegradable toilet paper rolls, cotton swabs, nail clippings, and other personal care items.
Buy Eco-Friendly Toilet Paper
Toilet paper is the ultimate throwaway item because it is only used briefly before being discarded. Despite this, the majority of the top tissue companies mainly rely on virgin wood pulp to produce their toilet paper. Huge areas of natural forest are cut down and used just once before being swept away.
Virgin fibre toilet paper has a much greater environmental impact than recycled waste toilet paper. First of all, it reduces the need to cut down living trees, preserving more forests and reducing the quantity of waste that ends up in landfills.
Moreover, according to government data, the manufacture of virgin wood pulp requires approximately twice as much water and creates twice as many hazardous air pollutants as the creation of tissue from recycled materials. The chemicals used in the manufacturing of recycled paper are also significantly less harmful than those used to bleach fresh pulp.
Install a Ventilator
It’s a smart idea to install a ventilation fan in your bathroom to get rid of moisture. This device removes water vapour that has accumulated on mirrors or walls as well as controls and gets rid of bathroom scents. Invest in models with humidity sensors to save money and avoid the formation of mould.
Line Dry Your Towels and Clothes
Who doesn’t enjoy the sensation of a soft bath sheet that has just come from the dryer? The planet herself, that is. When drying your towels, think about using a line rather than a dryer. The average carbon footprint can be meaningfully decreased by drying garments naturally.
Invest in a reliable, stainless steel drying rack that can sustain moist weight and is large enough to hold more than a few items of clothing if you share a bathroom with a large family. Bonus points for inserts for children’s shoes or slippers.
Add Plants and Green Accents
Arrange plants all over your bathroom, even around your shower screen to make it more beautiful and environmentally friendly! You can design an eco-friendly bathroom by placing small plants like ferns or succulents on a windowsill or countertop where they can acquire enough light. Additionally, plants help filter the air, reduce tension, and bring a calming element to a busy space.
Include a Skylight
A bathroom skylight is a useful improvement that may fill your room with natural light, plus you can put it in yourself! Mould and mildew are lessened and prevented from growing in your bathroom by natural light. Solar heating and improved ventilation are a couple of advantages of skylights that might reduce your energy expenditures.