Rental Apartment
If you’re a renter hoping to make environmentally conscious changes at home without spending a fortune, this article is for you. Whether you’re already settled in or still searching for apartments for rent that support a greener lifestyle, there are plenty of simple and affordable upgrades to consider. These eco-friendly improvements can reduce your carbon footprint, lower monthly utility bills, and help you live more sustainably – all while staying renter-friendly.
From energy-efficient LED bulbs and smart plugs to low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators, these upgrades are budget-friendly, easy to install, and typically removable without leaving permanent marks. And if you’re currently going through the tenant screening process, showcasing your commitment to sustainability might even appeal to environmentally minded landlords.
Lighting & Energy
Cost efficiency and conservation of our resources is even more crucial for our future and environment. LED light bulbs are one of the easiest and most effective ways to save energy. People are often surprised to learn that LED light bulbs use 90% less energy when compared to incandescent light bulbs. As an added bonus, LED light bulbs have impressive life spans of nearly 10 years, or 40,000 hours of use, meaning they contribute less waste and won’t have to be replaced as often.
Devices like smart plugs and timers help renters manage their energy expenditures even more. Smart plugs help schedule devices to turn off at designated times and stop unused appliances from being left on standby.
Thermal window film and draft stoppers improve energy efficiency as well. They help keep the cold months, and the summer months, more comfortable, saving people from spending more on utilities. They reduce the need for excessive heating, and cooling, that people have to pay for.
Draft stoppers are easy to use and economical, making them a great option for renters. They are also great for putting underneath doors and windows to help seal gaps, along with window insulation films that can be put on and taken off without damaging surfaces.
Water-Saving Fixes
The amounts of dollars spent on water over a month can quickly ease the pressure on one’s finance and the environment as a whole. The ease of installation of cylindrical heads on faucets as well as on the poles of showers has allowed these items to earn their place as one of the tops in the market. The items can easily be removed without any need of permanent changes to the home’s plumbing system. This ease of installation has also made these items a hit amongst tenants to a lease. Not Losing the security deposit over making changes to the plumbing system of the apartment is a plus form them.
Stickers to save energy and water is no longer a big deal, and only a couple modifications need to be done on the policies of these stickers. The altering of energy policies of these devices, as well as the amounts of money spent on the devices, is well spent. These policies can lead to the widespread reducing of the use of energy and gas, as well as the lowering of carbon gasses in the environment. These policies have even be aged to the widespread reduction of the use of gauged zipping. The pricing of these stickers, combined even a little with the lowering of money spent on gas, can be doable money for rental customers making it a good deal.
Although renters will have to alter their behaviors to fully realize the savings, they will appreciate the trade-off in lifestyle modifications. The more with the less is always one of the more noble goals of environmentalism, hence the value placed in water efficiency. Other water-saving upgrades, in batteries of energy appliances, retained water toilets, and low-flow systems beyond showers, alongside good uplighting strategies, start to frame packed rental opportunities.
Indoor Air Quality
Enhancing the quality of air inside a workplace or a house is equally important for health. Use of candles and cleaners that contain no VOCs is a good step to minimizing the risk exposure to respiratory and health problems due to indoor air pollutants. Furthermore, adding air-purifying plants such as spider plants, peace lilies, and snake plants also enhances indoor air quality by absorbing toxins such as formaldehyde, benzene, and ammonia.
Portable HEPA air purifiers also greatly enhance Indoor air quality and remove a high percentage of dust and various types of allergens which improves the comfort of the house. This is especially beneficial to people that suffer from asthma or other types of allergies. Most of today’s air purifiers have adjustable fan speeds, sensors, and other modifications which comes in handy for everyday usage as they tend to be more quiet.
Of course, no other method will be as effective as frequently opening windows to the outdoors in order to allow fresh air in and prolong air circulation in the house, especially from the kitchen and bathrooms. Eliminating indoor smoking, excessive use of synthetic air fresheners, and menthol cigarettes also helps cultivate a cleaner indoor air. Implementing these methods will surely provide cleaner air to breathe which is beneficial for health.
Smart Lifestyle Habits
We all have certain practices and routines that we do that either harm or alleviate the problem of conserving energy at home, and these practices may or may not seem significant at the moment. Folding dry clothes and putting them away may not seem significant, however, if these dried clothes are line dried, substantial energy savings can then be realized. Folding and putting clothes away not only saves substantial energy that would have otherwise gone to dryers, which are among the most energy-intensive appliances used at home, but also saves on total utility bills.
With appliances and clothes drying practices aside, conducting daily practices in a more mindful manner, such as switching off lights and other electronics, can help too. Other practices like unplugging devices, switching off at the wall, and the use of energy-efficient power strips can also help in conserving energy and reducing the phantom energy problem. Other practices, like adjusting the thermostat, and dressing appropriately for the seasons can also help.
Installing separate clearly labeled bins for paper, plastics, and metals as well as a compost container for organics incorporating systems of composting can help in your other eco-friendly initiatives too. Composting alone reduces the amount of waste going to landfills, and at the same time produces very rich compost for gardening. Reducing single-use plastic products and other convenient disposable products also helps the cause.
