Aesthetics and environmental sustainability are now two top priorities when it comes to the choices for home decorations and renovations. Many homeowners are now aware of the importance of conserving resources and caring for the environment, which brings about a positive effect on their choice of materials. This is a good trend to follow, and you can apply eco-friendly choices for your bathroom design and renovation ideas.
Read on as we share a simple guide to make your bathroom more eco-friendly.
Use Natural and Sustainable Materials for Fixtures and Decorations
Using fixtures and decorations that are made from natural and sustainable materials can benefit you and the planet. Natural materials are not just more affordable than synthetic materials, they also reduce pollution, reduce exposure to toxic chemicals, and slow down the accumulation of non-recyclable and hazardous wastes. Instead of choosing shower curtains made from vinyl or polyester, choosing a hemp shower curtain is a more eco-friendly option. The hemp fiber makes this curtain strong and durable, and it has natural protection against bacteria and fungi, making it an ideal shower curtain material. Your eco-friendly choice of materials for cabinets should be wood or bamboo instead of MDF, acrylic, or other synthetic materials. A similar choice should be made for countertops, where stone, glass, or wood are more environment-friendly than those made from synthetic materials.
Use Refillable Containers Instead of Single-Use Bottles
Refillable containers can help you save on your long-term spending on bathroom essentials. Instead of regularly buying single-use bottles for shampoos, soaps, lotions, etc. and contributing to the growing volume of plastics in the landfills and oceans, invest in buying large refillable containers that can be used repeatedly for a long time. These containers also come in handy if you want to make some homemade beauty applications and bathroom essentials.
Install Water-Saving Showerheads and Plumbing Fixtures
Conserving water and energy is a good way to be eco-friendly. Your bathroom is the place that consumes a large volume of water each day, and there are efficient ways to save water consumption from your daily bathroom use. One way of saving water consumption and lowering your water bills is to install water-saving showerheads. Showerheads with even water distribution and the wide flow area make bathing and rinsing off easier and faster. A costly but energy-saving investment would be to install a recirculating hot-water system. Adding this to your home’s hot water tank helps bring hot water faster to showers and faucets. This significantly reduces the wastage of cold water going down the drain while waiting for hot water to flow in. Installing water-saving faucets with low gallon per minute (GPM) consumption helps lower your water and energy bill costs.
Old toilets are also huge water wasters. Most standard toilets use about 1.6 gallons of water per flush (GPF), but the older ones can consume up to 4 GPF. Consider investing in a water-efficient macerating toilet to reduce water use and cost of installation. Many macerating toilet systems don’t require custom plumbing, so you don’t need to rip your floors to install one. They can be installed in difficult areas, too, such as the basement, the outhouse, or areas with low water pressure. Moreover, water-saving macerator toilets only use 1 to 1.2 gallons of water per flush. You can conserve more water if you get a toilet with a dual-flush system.
Use LED Lights
Energy efficiency translates into lower electric bills and more savings. This is what LED light bulbs can deliver for your bathroom and your home. LED lights have 80-90% efficiency, which means 80-90% of the energy it consumes is turned into light rather than heat. This makes LED light feel cooler, more refreshing, and last longer than conventional incandescent bulbs. Also, LED bulbs are versatile and produce a wide range of lighting effects to match your bathroom lighting needs, from mirror spotlights to accent lighting.
There are many simple ways you can contribute to the environment when you make improvements in your bathroom design and decoration. You don’t have to make drastic changes right away. You can make small eco-friendly changes and observe improvements in your bathroom experience. An even better reason to go green and eco-friendly is cost-efficiency, which translates into savings. Not only do you get affordable materials without sacrificing quality, but you are also saving on your utility bills. So think green and eco-friendly when you plan to make a bathroom makeover.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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