With billions of people now living on the planet and that number expected to continue increasing, our natural resources are becoming scarcer and it is more important than ever before that we change the way we live so that we can build a greener economy and preserve this amazing planet for future generations. From simple everyday acts, such as recycling or avoiding the use of plastic bags at the grocery store, to making major adjustments to construction plans in order to ensure that buildings are more eco-friendly, there are a variety of ways to live a greener life and contribute to a healthier planet.

Below are just a few of the many ways in which you can make your home greener from the inside out. Some of these are relatively inexpensive while others require a bit of an investment, but each one is more than worth your time and money for the great benefits they provide to both people and planet Earth.

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Non-Toxic Paints

Typical interior and exterior paints contain a host of harmful toxins that actually continue to leak out into the air in and around your home for many years after the paint is applied. That is why many paint brands are now offering lines of eco-friendly paints that do not contain the same toxic chemicals and do not release the fumes either. These are not only healthier for the environment, they are also healthier for you and your family, including your pets. Without worrying about inhaling these toxic compounds, you can rest assured that your indoor air quality is safer for everyone.

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Properly Insulated Windows

Replacing your old windows with newer ones that are designed to keep the temperature just right, you can avoid drafts in the winter that require you to turn your heater up higher and you can also prevent heat from coming into your home in the middle of the summer, forcing you to turn your air conditioner up another notch. By lowering your heater and air conditioner, you will not only save money on your energy bill, you will also be conserving energy as well and you won’t be contributing to harmful greenhouse gas emissions.

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Earth-Friendly Flooring

When it comes to flooring, there are many options available that are environmentally friendly. If you prefer carpets and rugs, you can purchase those made from recycle materials or those that do not contain harmful chemicals. Or if you prefer wood floors, choose those made from renewable resources, such as bamboo.

Eco-Friendly Building Materials

From long-lasting building materials to those that come from recycled parts, you can construct a durable and comfortable home in a much more eco-friendly fashion these days. If you are in the construction business or you bought a plot of land onto which you want build your dream home, working with a surveyor Christchurch who can properly assess the land and help you develop your construction plans will also ensure that you can work with someone who will build you an eco-friendly home.

You may know that you are supposed to look at an Advanced Geosciences resistivity survey before you start work on any building project. However, do you know what types of things you should be looking for as you go over the survey? Understanding exactly what you should watch out for can help you identify it much faster than you would be able to otherwise, so you should know about these common pitfalls in advance.

First of all, you just need to look for any underground water sources that could pose a problem. The water table below the surface may be invisible to the eye, but it functions much like the water on the table surface. There are lakes and rivers. You do not want to dig down for the basement or to construct the foundation and discover that you are attempting to build on unstable ground over an underground water source.

Depending on where your project is located, it may also be a good idea to look for fault lines. The survey will tell you if you are building on top of one. At that point, you can decide if you want to go through with the project or if you would feel better about it if you moved to another location. It is worth noting that a fault line itself does not mean that it is unsafe to build, but you have to take special precautions and use special methods to make sure that the building is really safe.