[ECO]Harnessing Nature for Eco-Friendly Home Solutions: 5 Examples

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Harnessing Nature for Eco-Friendly Home Solutions: 5 Examples 

For far too long “man versus nature” has been the attitude people adopted when clearing land and building homes. Certainly, you want protection from the elements. However, you are also a part of nature — you can’t escape it. 

Shifting that mindset from competition to cooperation provides the necessary magic to enjoy modern comforts without harming the planet essential for life. 

Here are five existing methods of harnessing nature for eco-friendly home solutions:

Mindset Shift: Working With, Not Against, Nature 

Consider the source — really consider it. Everything humans have originally came from nature. Even human-made elements created in nuclear reactors would not exist had humans not first used the existing ones to develop the necessary technology. Trying to beat nature into submission in some sort of competition can have disastrous results, and climate

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inherent in this approach. 

However, shifting to a cooperative mindset benefits people and the planet alike. Working hand in hand with nature, using solutions like heat pumps and solar panels, we can maintain a healthy climate inside our homes without exceeding planetary boundaries. 

Evaluating the entire life cycle of building materials helps you choose options that break down naturally or transform

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when they’ve reached their useful limit. Keeping tidy has never required harsh chemicals, as anyone who has made their home sparkle with little more than vinegar and baking soda knows. 

This mindset shift helps you find the best eco-friendly home solutions by asking the right questions: 

• What is the impact of this material, process or procedure on the planet — not only my immediate comfort? 
• How will the choices I make today stand up to time’s test? Could this solution create ******* problems later?
• What choices can I make with the resources I have that work with the planet to meet my needs? 

Nature-Inspired Eco-Friendly Home Solutions 

Nature-inspired, eco-friendly home solutions aren’t a utopian pipe dream. Plenty of these technologies exist currently, and there are things everyone can do to reduce their living space’s carbon footprint. 

1. Solar 

Solar power is an eco-friendly home solution that nearly everyone can take advantage of in some form, even if you rent or can’t afford to install panels on your home. For example, choose a solar model the next time you need a backup charger for your phone. You’ll have an endless supply of juice wherever the sun shines, no outlet necessary. 

Renters can also get ahead of the game by investing in portable solar panels. If your budget allows, use them to charge a smaller power pack. Those with more means can investigate solar generators. They’re the perfect prep for power outages and come in handy if you appreciate modern conveniences when camping off-grid.  

Of course, the ultimate upgrade is converting your home to solar. Doing so can protect your family from outages with a steady supply of power and strengthen the nation’s grid while being kind to the planet. Inverter-driven hybrid systems send the excess power your home generates back to the grid, resulting in lower utility bills. They also include a battery and function off-grid when outages occur. 

2. Heat Pumps

Heat pumps are another alternative for eco-friendly climate control and come in two styles — air-sourced and geothermal:

• Air-sourced: These pumps pull heat from the air via a reversing valve. Even when the outside air is minus 1 degree Fahrenheit, it still contains about
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  found on a 70° day. Such units also function as air conditioners by pulling heat out of your home during warm weather and are ideal for milder climates that don’t often see subzero temperatures. 
• Geothermal: These heat pumps operate on a similar principle — moving warm air from one area to another like a limousine driver carrying a VIP. Instead of pulling heat from the air, they take it from under the ground, where temperatures remain stable all year long. Although such models are pricier and require digging to install, they work best in areas with long, harsh winters.

Like solar power, heat pumps operate without fossil fuels. Instead, the transfer of existing heat energy runs the requisite machinery. Moving away from fossil fuel use is crucial to combating climate change. Already, nations such as Iceland power

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through geothermal sources. The U.S. is the second-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, and shifting 70% of the nation’s production to renewables would make a huge difference. 

3. Improved Building Materials 

Sustainability means considering the entire life cycle of materials. Much construction occurs where existing buildings already stand. Completing this work means renovating or knocking down the old building, and the latter is a waste-intensive process. Demolition creates millions of tons of waste each year. 

When taking on a renovation project, prioritize techniques that reclaim materials to reuse or preserve for future builds. Doing so reduces the need to harvest new raw materials and manufacture them into usable goods, saving emissions every step of the way. 

You can also explore newer eco-friendly building materials. For example, hempcrete

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to concrete that absorbs emissions. Although its low compressive strength makes it inappropriate for skyscrapers, it’s a suitable replacement for housing blocks and paved surfaces like sidewalks and patios. 

Technological advances also promise to make previously problematic materials more eco-friendly. For example, PVC is commonly used in construction but has historically not been eco-friendly because recycling it releases toxins into the environment. Improved sorting techniques to avoid contamination

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minimize toxin escape and make this product a valuable part of a circular economy. 

4. Water Collection and Conservation 

It’s simple enough to create a home rainwater collection system if your jurisdiction allows you to do so. However, installing such features on larger building projects creates more widescale conservation efforts. 

For example, building apartments and condominium complexes can include rainwater collection systems and divert greywater to beautify the surrounding landscape without pumping groundwater. 

5. Sustainable Home Upkeep 

Cleaning your home has never required harsh chemicals. Good, old-fashioned elbow grease does much of the hard work.

However, it can still be confusing to know what to buy if you don’t do a lot of research or hold a chemistry degree. Fortunately, you can tackle most home cleaning tasks with little more than vinegar and baking soda. Use the more highly concentrated cleaning distilled vinegar you can buy at hardware stores for most tasks. 

Wash soiled materials with hot water on the highest settings, or use a portable steam cleaner on non-removable cloth materials to help kill germs without chemicals. Steam mops are also fabulous for disinfecting floors without harsh cleansers.

Eco-Friendly Home Solutions 

Humankind’s challenge isn’t to beat nature but to learn to live in harmony with her. The eco-friendly home solutions above work hand in hand with planet Earth and hold promise to create a cleaner, greener abode for all who dwell there. 

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