This is the year of well-being. Connecting with Mother Earth and exploring healing spaces within our homes has become a top priority this year. With Earth Day upon us, now is the time to think about these five easy home upgrades that are easy on your wallet and the planet.

1. Install a smart thermostat. How many times have we all forgotten to turn the heat off when we leave the house for the day or let the air conditioning run all day and night? Think back to the good old days when you manually turned the dial of the thermostat wheel, The Google Nest Learning Thermostat is a combination of the new and old. Rated the number one smart thermostat by Consumer Reports, this thermostat can automatically decipher if you are home or not and is easy to use.

2. Install a water saving feature in your bath/shower. Water is going to be the new gold is what I constantly am hearing now. There are countless EPA WaterSense fixtures which are labeled for water efficient products as well as water saving devices.You can go to The EPA website and calculate if you purchased one of the Watersense fixtures how much water you will save.

3. Invest in energy efficient light bulbs. Energy efficient light bulbs have been around for a while now and the color is so much better. I remember when they first came out with the white color. It was obtrusive and people just did not like the tint that they gave off. I prefer a warmer light (2700-3000) which is meant to match the iridescent cans lighting. A light closer to 3000 is whiter.

4. Insulation can help reduce your energy bill. The EPA estimates that the average homeowner can save 15 percent  on their heating and cooling costs by sealing their homes and adding insulation to attics, air ducts and floors over crawl spaces. You would be surprised how many air ducts come loose from the air flow vent and the cold or hot air is escaping into the attic.

5. Think Green. Think Clean. We all have our favorite tried and true cleaning products, but have you thought about changing just one to help the environment?  I know I have switched laundry detergent from my used to favorite in the big orange tub to the Grove Collaborative Laundry Sheets which take up little space, are easy to use and smell fabulous. Just one small change can really make a positive impact on the environment.

Everything eco-friendly is becoming more popular, as it should, and people are always looking for ways to improve their homes and help the environment. Celebrate Earth Day this year by seeing which one of these ideas might fit your lifestyle and budget. Have another idea as to how we can all work together to better Mother Earth? Let me know! 

Christy BerryApril 21, 2023