Our good friends at thrall.com define going green as:
” ‘Going green’ means to pursue knowledge and practices that can lead to more environmentally friendly and ecologically responsible decisions and lifestyles, which can help protect the environment and sustain its natural resources for current and future generations.”
Basically, whatever you can do now as an individual to promote eco-friendly practices can only produce multiple benefits for the world community in the future. Everything you do may not seem like it is instantly solving problems, but every step you take toward sustainability makes a big difference. Whether you live in a small Milwaukee studio apartment or a penthouse in New York City, going green at your place can still make a huge difference! Let’s look at how you can save time and energy by instituting green initiatives at home.
Garden
A smart garden irrigation system is definitely the way to go. Buy a sprinkler system that can be controlled remotely through an app on your device, and you no longer have to worry about manually resetting the system to compensate for rainy days. If an unexpected pop-up thunderstorm does appear, just get on your device and shut your system down. You can return to the previous default settings very easily.
Lighting
Ditch that old incandescent and even fluorescent light bulbs and fixtures and move toward LEDs. LEDs are becoming less expensive, they last for up to 40 years! Add a smart app to the mix and you can remotely control hues, ambiance, and lighting intensity. You can even interface with the weather as your app can take into account the amount of sunlight that is filtering into your home.
Add motor-driven shades along with an app to control them, and you will be the remote master of your interior environment.
HVAC
If you have one of these, you are definitely living in the dark ages of HVAC controls (if so, maybe it’s time to consult the experts). Inside that round dial-type thermostat is a tightly wound spring and a mercury-filled glass bulb. The spring expands or contracts depending upon your home’s temperature, and that action causes the mercury ball to complete or disconnect a circuit—either turning on or turning off your furnace or AC. This is manual HVAC management its worst, and you need to get a smart app-connected programmable thermostat that will allow you to log in settings and make adjustments from wherever you are—even on the beach!
Security
Motion detectors started the smart app security bandwagon, and now you can use inexpensive cameras inside and outside of your home so that you can view exactly what is going on.
A smart entry-way doorknob will actually allow you to talk to any would-be intruders that come to your doorstep. While an alarm company sign is maybe enough to scare away a would-be criminal, there’s nothing like a talking doorknob to let the bad guys know that they are being monitored. And best of all, your smart entry system can be remotely controlled from anywhere.
It’s a digital world now, and if you want to save time, energy, and money you’ll get smart quickly. Of course, do your research, but with a little time and effort, your eco-friendliness will translate to real environmental change.
