We should all be doing what we can to reduce our carbon footprint and if you are concerned about rising energy costs, there are ways that you can save energy, which are eco-friendly. So, what can you do to reduce your carbon footprint at home?
Here are a few ways to save energy and protect the environment.
- Insulate the roof – Rockwool have excellent metal roof insulation (called ฉนวนหลังคาโลหะ in Thai) at very affordable prices and this is the best form of roof insulation for the Thai climate. The special material also reflects the heat off the surface, which offers optimum thermal insulation and the energy you will save is significant.
- Use only natural products – Things like air freshener contain harmful propellants that reduce the air quality. In this society, we are too far removed from nature and by adding houseplants, the air quality will improve, as will your mood.
- LED lighting – This is very low input-high output lighting that saves a lot of energy; while the LED units are more expensive than the traditional lightbulb, they last a lot longer and, of course, requires much less energy. Motion sensors in the garden will also save energy, as the lights only come on when required. The Internet hosts a wealth of information and some Google searching will reveal many ways to be greener at home.
- Window tints – The high-quality window tints reflect heat and UV and that keeps the interior cool and comfortable. Search online for a leading Thai supplier of house window tint film and calculate how much you will need. You can self-install or ask the supplier to apply the tint and this will make the whole house cooler.
- Growing organic vegetables – If you portion off a section at the back of your garden and add some compost and rich topsoil, you can grow your own organic produce. Many homeowners get the gardening bug and add a greenhouse and become self-sufficient regarding fruit and vegetables.
- Solar panels – Perhaps the biggest contribution to saving the planet would be to install solar panels (Thailand has more sunshine hours than any other country). The system consists of solar panels that are fixed to the roof, lithium-iron batteries to store the energy and a central control panel from where you can monitor all systems.
If we all do what we can to reduce our carbon footprint, the world will be a better place and hopefully, we will soon close down fossil-fuel burning power stations and use clean and renewable energy.
