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Great insulation keeps a lid on energy usage by making climate control systems in your home more efficient. Make it a green double-whammy by renovating with neat eco-friendly materials, like recycled denim or cardboard, or take immediate action with an instant insulation mini-project. Thermal insulation can have a huge eco-impact, since it reduces the amount of energy you burn through every single time you flick that heating or air conditioning switch.
Early American builders used to fill their walls with ground up old corn cobs, an early example of recycling leftover trash into totally viable insulation. Modern greenies take the idea a step further, using sophisticated processes to turn discarded paper and blue jeans into the stuff that seals in heat or cool, keeping everyone in the house comfy without burning through a lot of energy or fuel.
While you're saving up for a big eco-renovation project that includes a major upgrade to your home's insulation, you don't have to just sit and watch the energy leak out of your house. You can take instant steps to help stop climate control waste, and keep hot and cold air where they need to be. Spend an afternoon putting up attic barrier foil for a fast eco-improvement. Move your bookshelves around to line an exterior wall of your house. Fix-up the seals around your windows, which can be some of the biggest culprits for heat seepage, with caulking or weatherstripping. Just a few small upgrades will have you sitting cozy, and living greener.
This post was inspired by Planet Green's show World's Greenest Homes.
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