Tips on Making Your Home Eco-friendlier in Bath

Being environmentally aware and understanding global warming issues aren’t new, but there’s a positive way people are embracing change now. Whether we’re talking about something closer to home in our community or on a national scale, everyone can do their part. And the best thing is that we can start at home and improve our daily habits, in the knowledge that it does have a positive impact.

There are a few different approaches to running a greener household, and they will all affect your carbon output. Now, this might sound a bit strange at first, but your carbon footprint is a measurable, and there’s a tool that is available online. We’ll discuss this in more detail in this article, in addition to other ways you can make home improvements to help the environment and save you money.

Our Top Five Environmentally Savvy Tips –

Turn Lights Off – Let’s start with a relatively easy one. If you leave a room, switch the light off. And if possible, turn off any appliances that aren’t in use off at the socket as well. This will reduce your utility bill, and you’re actively using less energy, which is less carbon.

Use Green Energy Providers – This isn’t as widely known as it should be, but several 100% green energy providers exist. No coal, nuclear or fracking – they source from wind, solar and geothermal methods.

Change or Repair Boiler – An old or inefficient boiler will burn a hole in your pocket and carbon footprint. It might cost you initially, but a new boiler will save you money and reduce your energy use. There are also greener boiler options, such as biomass and solar thermal options.

Make Fewer Flights – For some people, air travel is necessary for work or visiting family if you live far away. So, we face some tough decisions and will need to reconsider things like holidays and business travel. However, the reality is that flying is a massive contributor to climate change.

Say No to Single-Use Plastic – We can all do this, but it might take a concerted effort to get businesses to do their part. A considerable decrease in single-use plastic is becoming a reality, and we can be part of the solution by using reusable items.

Using A Carbon Footprint Calculator –

Previously, although those who understand global warming’s terminology would realise the importance of carbon emissions, the general public was less clued up. That’s all changing, and it’s now a mainstream talking point. Additionally, carbon footprint calculators are available online to use. Although it does require you to gather pieces of information.

Once you know your carbon footprint, you can start making changes to reduce any bad habits or practices. Some are simple – reuse or recycle wherever possible and avoid unnecessary things like single-use plastic. One of the best options is to avoid putting anything directly into a landfill via your bin. We’ll discuss how to achieve this in the next section.

Similarly, try to avoid wasting food and consume less. Although a big weekly shop seems like a good idea, some of that will likely go over its use-by date. If you have food items that you don’t want, donate them to your local food bank or homeless organisation. Try and avoid buying imported food and beverages and cut down on your meat consumption. Even some basic changes will make a big difference.

The Three Rs – Recycle, Reuse, Reduce –

The impact we have on the environment can be seen from two different standpoints. The first is where we realise the negative effect that’s directly linked to our actions. And the second is to try and prevent this negative cycle beforehand. It’s not easy because it takes a lot of self-reflection and changing bad habits, which isn’t as straightforward as we might hope.

Let’s look at this and use the example of decluttering or organising your home. Previously, you might have many black bags full of rubbish when doing this. Instead of consigning everything to a landfill, you can apply the three Rs: repurpose, recycle, and reduce. Rather than throwing your old things away, see if there’s a chance to reuse them or put them into a recycling bin.

There are various recycling points spread across Bath and Somerset and plenty of council initiatives to take part in. And to make sure you keep things in check, be proactive and reduce single-use plastic before it enters your home. It might seem like one person won’t change much by saying no to a straw or choosing items with less packaging. However, it soon adds up when others take the same action. One notable example is when positive group action directly influences large supermarkets to reduce plastic bags.

The Importance of a Home Energy Audit –

When it comes to how energy waste happens in our homes, it might seem like the last place that causes environmental issues. However, a significant contributor to carbon emissions is heat loss. And most of this waste is because of poor insulation or other structural issues in places like the roof. Before you take any action, it’s necessary to find out where the problems are and match that with professional advice.

The best way of finding this information out is by booking a home energy audit, and you can find out more here. This type of report will get to the bottom of any underlying problems in your home, including the roof and windows. From there, the inspector will provide you with suggestions on how to fix them, possibly with some referrals.

While this will come with upfront costs to fix or install insulation, the consequences of leaving this might result in long-term damage. Even a minor gap in a window seal or a loose roof slate might allow dampness to seep in. If you make the necessary improvements now, you’ll increase your energy efficiency and avoid any expensive repairs in the future.

Working with a Greener Moving Company –

There are two main features you’ll find when you work with an environmentally friendly removals company. It’s all to do with efficiency and reusing materials wherever possible. We encourage you to ask questions before booking if this is an important cause to you. And we’ll gladly detail how we’re a greener moving and storage provider.

Efficiency is the key ingredient for performance and reducing any negative impact when it comes to relocations. Not only will it get things done quickly, but it’s better for the environment. That’s because there are fewer carbon emissions from the removal vehicle. And we always look at journey lengths and other factors to ensure this.

Then it’s about things like packaging and how to get the most out of each item. The Thomas Firbank team will try and reuse packing boxes on the next job when they’re in good condition. If there’s not strong enough, then we’ll repurpose them, typically for additional padding. Failing that, they’re off for recycling. We do everything possible to avoid throwing things away when they’ll end up in a landfill. And we continue to look for new opportunities to improve eco-awareness further.

Thomas Firbank – Bath’s Go-Green Removals and Storage Company –

The Thomas Firbank team takes our role in the community of Bath’s business sector seriously. We know that we contribute to the city’s carbon emissions, which is why we strive to be efficient. When we undertake a job assessment, we take factor in using ways of using less fuel and that includes the type of vehicle and route choices. And wherever possible, we reuse packing materials and recycle with diligence.

At Thomas Firbank, we also understand how essential our assessment process is to reduce carbon output efficiently. Our team leave nothing to chance at every stage. And we also give our customers suggestions on the way to assist us. Decluttering is an excellent way to reduce your items before your relocation. You can then donate or recycle the things you no longer use.

We work with hundreds of domestic and business customers who are making positive environmental changes. Every process we undertake as a business promotes efficiency and recycling. We’re here to help Bath move further towards a carbon-neutral era.

If you would like to discuss ways you can improve your carbon footprint, click here. The Thomas Firbank team are part of the positive push towards an eco-friendlier Bath.