Housely
A home needs to be a secure place to live and provide shelter for its inhabitants. More than that, a home also needs to be environmentally safe through good practices that help ensure the future of our planet. Home goods manufacturers are getting on the “green’ bandwagon by inventing devices and equipment that will cut energy costs and promote conservation. Some are simple everyday items, and some are additional gadgets so ingenious, no home should be without them.
1. Indoor/Outdoor Composter
If you’ve ever wanted to start a composting heap, but the smell of rotting eggshells and veggie scraps, an automatic composter is the way to go. NatureMill takes the stink and mess out of recycling scraps with their Nature Mill NEO ECO Series Composters. They are sized to serve from two people to five, with a device for every need. It can be used outdoors or indoors and have several cool features including:
- Automatically mixes and heats the refuse every 4 hours through air pump chambers.
- Comes fully assembled
- No trash odors, just a mild earthy aroma
- You can composite virtuallyall food waste, including meat and fish.
- Only needs to be emptied every other week, depending on usage.
- Empty it right in your garden for reuse of nutrients.
- Uses only as much energy as a bread toaster, even when plugged in constantly.
- Emits a pleasant “earthy” odor, instead of odor of rotting food.
- A Nature Mill automatic composter for a family of four costs only $399! It’s a bargain when considering how good it is for your household to cut down on garbage, and is helpful to the environment.
2. LED Light Bulbs
Research shows that LED type light bulbs are better for the environment that fluorescent bulbs, according to The Pacific Northwest Laboratory, as reported on Oregon Live.com. They are readily available at all box stores and retailers like Walmart, which sells these bulbs for $2.17 each.
3. Planet Wise Reusable Diaper Pail Liner
These muti-use diaper pail liners cut down on plastic refuse and money spent on pail liners. These liners are made strong to prevent leakage and absorb odors. They are anti-microbial, PVC free and lead free, and are machine washable. They can be found on Amazon.com in a variety of colors for $16.50 each. Many parents are choosing cloth diapers to cut down on waste from disposable diapers, so why store cloth diapers in a disposable plastic liner between washing.
4. EarthBox
You want fresh organic vegetables for your family but don’t have the land, a garden box is the ideal way to grow your own herbs, tomatoes, and peppers for your household to enjoy. Earthbox makes the premier brand of instant garden, with a starter kit for under $50. The website also has all of the accessories you’ll ever need to maintain and expand your home harvest. Cut down on chemical additives in your food or using gas to drive to the Farmer’s Market by growing your own.
5. Rain Barrel
Why let precious rainwater get away, when you can reuse it? Rain barrels not only save water, they also help with flooding under gutters by capturing the overflow. There are workshops that can instruct on how to build your own rain barrel, but with such lovely choices at Woodland Direct, you may not want to. Their Rain Wizard Terra Cotta barrel has a child lock cover to protect the kids and pets and holds up to 50 gallons. The Rain Wizard is economically priced at $149.
6. Hose/SprinkerControl Spigot Timer
If you’ve ever watched your neighbor turn on his sprinklers or hose and leave it running all day, you know what a waste of water it can be. Having a controlled timer that adjusts for the weather and season is the best way to keep your lawn and plants properly hydrated without wasting water. The SST Smart Watering System from Rainbird will adjust water flow and timing to perfect levels. The SST Smart System features a built in nationwide historical weather database and a Smart Weather Sensor, to take the guess work out of watering. It can be mounted indoors or outdoors and is bargain priced at only $54.97. With such convenience at this price, you may want to buy a setup for your neighbor as well.
7. Solar Outdoor Lights
Why not use the heat of the sun to charge up your outdoor lighting for free? Solar lights can be used to light for pathways, porches, gardens and driveways. They are sold everywhere from dollar stores to online retailers. Earthtech products and other companies sell a wide variety of solar lighting options, priced according to product.
8. Thermal Shades/Curtains
When the sun gets too strong, using thermal shades and curtains will help reduce your air conditioning costs by blocking out heat. Solar shades are available wherever window treatments are sold, and can priced from $40 for a standard window size and up.
9. Battery Powered Mower
Eliminate need for petro-chemical fuels by using a rechargeable battery powered lawn mover. Battery powered mowers eliminate the need to buy and store dangerous oil and gasoline on your property. Popular Mechanics tested several of the popular battery powered lawn mower brand and rated the Black and Decker SPCM 1936 with 4.5 out of 5 stars. They like the adjustable speed dial and easy to clean surfaces. The only drawback was that the battery requires two hands to carry. It’s affordably priced at only $450.
10. Shower Timer
Lengthy showers can drive up water bills and drive parents out of their minds. Installing a shower timer eliminates water waste and ensures that everyone gets enough hot water. The Shower Manager lets you set the full flow for 5,8 or 11 minutes and has a 60 second warning feature that lets the water hog know it’s time to rinse off now. You can buy one for $129 or get one for every bathroom in the house with athree pack for $340. Water is a precious resource and cutting shower time is good for the natural environment as well as the emotional environment in your home.
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