Earth Day – Invest in Our Planet via Construction
Earth Day is an annual event which occurs on April 22. It’s aim is to demonstrate support for environmental protection. It was first held as a small event on April 22 in 1970, and now includes a wide range of events coordinated globally by EARTHDAY.ORG including over 1 billion people in almost 200 countries. We want to highlight Earth Day – Invest in our planet and show how construction can help.
The official theme for 2023 is Invest in Our Planet.
Here are our Top 5 Earth Day Ideas for anyone considering Home Improvements.
Celebrate Earth Day by appreciating and respecting the natural world.
There are lots of ways you can help in everyday life, but even more so if you are considering building your own home, renovating, or making home improvements.
We want to highlight ways we can help invest in our planet while creating a beautiful space to live in.
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Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
It has been reported that general construction accounts for 60% of the waste created in the UK.
It is not necessarily the waste of the materials; the packaging can be more of an issue. There is often so much plastic wrapping, taping or timber pallets. Try to understand which companies have a better policy for this.
Plenty of items often end up in a skip. Doors, for example could be reused. Kitchen cupboards can be up-cycled.
Why not try to reuse as much of the original features as possible.
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Create a Sustainable Garden
Support our pollinators, plant trees, wildflowers, and native plants. This is a great way to bring native bees and other pollinating creatures to your garden. Do a little research so you can be sure you are selecting the right pollinator-friendly plants for your area.
Trees capture carbon and are a benefit to local agriculture. Planting one oak tree will bring a huge array of insect and bird species to your garden and improve air quality.
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If space is an issue, you could consider a green roof
Green roofs are typically covered with plants and vegetation. This can bring a number of benefits to a building.
- It can boost the thermal performance with increased insulation.
- Supporting wildlife by creating more habitats
- Increase the lifespan of the roof.
- Improve drainage as water is stored in plants before being released back into the environment naturally.
- Conserve Water
While it is great to think about how much water we use at home, there are other ways to save water.
Systems such as rainwater harvesting collect water as a natural source, and it can be reused elsewhere in the home.
- Rainwater Harvesting is a concept that has been around for a long time. The process takes the rainwater from the roof, down your down pipe and into a storage tank. Whilst the water is traveling from your rooftop it must pass via a filtration system, either built into the down pipes or better still built into the underground tank.
You then have clean fresh water stored in the underground tank.
Use a water butt can save up to 24L of water every year. The use of a water butt can help you save on your energy bills. It is a more sustainable use of water that would otherwise go down your gutters or drain/pipes.
- Think about the products you use
Think about using materials that are plastic free and biodegradable products.
Start at the beginning
The best place to start is in conversation with your architect and builder. Your architect may be able to specify different materials to use. Or design in a way that simplifies elements where plastic is used therefore reducing the amount required.
Meanwhile your builder may be able to look at avoiding over-ordering of materials to reduce wastage.
Insulation
Consider insulation. Specifically rigid board types as these are incredibly thermally effective, but they are largely made from plastic.
Natural insulation options include hemp, jute, cork, wood fibre, sheep’s wool and cellulose. Each has its own unique characteristics to meet the requirements of different applications.
Plastic free finishes
A few simple swaps can reduce the amount of plastic in your home. For example a feather filled sofa is a plastic-free alternative to manmade foams.
Many carpets nowadays are made from plastic fibres. Plastic can even be present in the base of natural fibre products such as wool. When carpet is your choice of flooring, natural materials such as sisal and jute are the way to go for a plastic-free floor.
When considering decorating, natural eco paints can limit the amount of plastic-derived additives within a paint, meaning a more sustainable and healthy home.
A natural timber kitchen can be a good option. Other things to think about are natural materials for worktops, such as wood, stone, or even manmade quartz.
When it comes to your bathroom, enamelled steel baths are the most cost-effective alternative to a plastic tub.
These are to highlight a few, but with a bit of digging there are many more options to find and consider.
Other activities
Even if you are not improving your home, there are plenty of other ways to get involved and make a difference.
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Switch to a renewable energy supplier
Switching to renewables is the start of your climate journey, plus you might save some money.
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Consider your local area or park – get involved in a clean-up.
One of the best ways to connect with the Earth is through a clean-up session. Go on a walk with a bin bag and help to clean up any plastic or rubbish that you find.
There are plenty of local councils and organisations that regularly set these up. It’s a great way to get out and meet new people and connect with your neighbours.
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Support environmental charity
There are loads to choose from. The Woodland Trust, Friends of the Earth, WWF, or maybe find a local charity in your area.
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Create fun things for the family.
By engaging the family, children will grow up wanting to help the environment. A new generation and new technology can only have a positive impact.
Find Out More 👍
We do hope you like our blog Earth Day – Invest in Our Planet. We are passionate about supporting the environment and like to share our thoughts. If you’d like to understand more about how experts can help you make the best decisions, we’d love to hear from you.
Simply call 01923 896550, email info@cl-pm.com or complete a contact form.
