Sliding walls will enable us to be more economical with our space and we’ll be able to turn off the TV and toaster by remote control, even when we’re on holiday.
These are viable components of the house of the future, but while engineers and architects beaver away to bring us the technology of tomorrow, what can we do to make our homes more ecologically sound in the present?
Recycle, recycle, recycle
Excuses for not recycling waste products are fast wearing thin. Since local councils have woken up to the dire need to take more care of our environment, it’s never been easier to get in on the action. Unlike many of our European counterparts who invest much time and effort into sorting their rubbish, we can chuck all our plastics, papers and even clothing into one green box for the nice people who collect our rubbish to sort for us. A new London-based text service allows capital folk to text RECYCLE and their full postcode to 63131 in order to receive information on local services. Non-Londoners should get onto their local council about installing similar services.
Switch energy suppliers
Is your gas or electricity provider as green as they could be? If they’re not, make the switch to one that is. The www.greenelectricity.org website features a comprehensive list of green energy tariffs. In most cases, the customer either pays an additional fee which funds renewable energy projects, or the energy used by the customer is matched with generation from renewable sources.
Water everywhere and hardly any to drink
Modern homes use huge amounts of water, but only a small proportion of this is used for drinking. The rest goes on washing, bathing and flushing toilets. Small measures taken to reduce water consumption can add up to massive differences. Take showers instead of baths, only flush the loo after a number two and use containers to catch rain for watering the garden or washing the car. Fix a dripping tap and spare, along with your sanity, up to a bathtub full of water a week! If you're on a water metre you'll save your pennies and if not you can rest assured you're being sparing with one of the earth's natural resources.
Ditch the bleach
Do your pocket as well as the environment a favour by refusing to buy a cupboard full of household detergents and cleansers. White vinegar, bicarbonate of soda, lemon and olive oil are just a few non-harmful products which can leave your bathroom tiles and wood floors gleaming. See the 4Homes feature on eco-cleaning for homemade recipes.
Home improvements
The next time you splash out on home improvements, consider if there is a green option. For example: look out for gadgets and gizmos run on solar or mechanical energy, like radios, torches and garden lights; choose energy saving light bulbs; cut down on your heating bill with draught-proofers for door and window frames, and even letterboxes; ask your furniture manufacturer if items are made from sustainable planted forests, or buy second-hand; pick bed linens and towels in Fairtrade and/or organic cotton. Read more about Fairtrade.
