Top 5 Tips for Eco Friendly Apartment Living

It might not be a completely eco-friendly world just yet, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do your small part. Having an apartment is a perfect way to start living more green. However, anyone that lives in an apartment will tell you that the number one way to lose your deposit is to do any major construction. Yet, that doesn’t mean you can’t add a few temporary details to make your rented living space more energy efficient and eco conscious. Typically, if it’s good for the environment it will be good for your wallet too. Here are 5 tips for eco friendly apartment living.

1. Organic linens and bed sheets. You might want to get the highest thread-count sheets on the market, but there are two things you should know about most of the brands that advertise higher than normal thread-count: they are made in sweatshops with no worker right or standards and they are terrible for the environment. Not only will theses types of sheets pollute the environment when you discard them, but each time you wash them, dangerous chemicals and bleaches will be released into the water system. In this case, switch to organic materials, like hemp and bamboo.
2. Next, switch out all the lightbulbs from the incandescent kind to LED. LED bulbs last much longer and they are up to 40% more energy efficient. If your landlord is taking care of the electricity bills, they might wonder if you are living in the dark or not. They might even give you a rent decrease as a result of saving them money.
3. Choose natural cleaning supplies. Anybody who lives in a small apartment can tell you that it gets messier and dirtier much faster than in a larger space, so you are constantly having to rely on cleaning supplies. In this case, make sure to use environmentally friendly cleaning supplies or look at the ingredients to make sure there are no harsh chemicals, like ammonia or phosphates. This is a great way to keep your apartment clean and environmentally friendly.
4. Also, environmental data resources say that too many people are leaving electronics plugged in when they don’t have to be. Many electronics, even though they are turned off, leak energy when they are plugged in. Things like cell phones, computers, and even televisions should be unplugged when not in use.
5. Decorate with reused, vintage or thrift store items. Too many decorative items get thrown out and can end up polluting the earth at landfills. So if you want to frame a picture, head to your local thrift store and find a frame. If you want to find some wall sconces, chances are that you can find it at a vintage or thrift store. The Internet is another great location to find decorative items that have already been gently used. In most cases, these items have a much better aesthetic quality than if you were going to buy them new at a store – any good decorator can tell you that.