6 Affordable Green Projects You Can Do at Home

Driving a more eco-friendly vehicle would have you paying a bigger sticker price than the standard car, while going organic on your diet could have you spending a bit more on your grocery budget. Using solar panels and other alternative green energy sources could also mean added costs. And so, we can't blame some households if they ever think twice about trying their hands on eco-friendly living. But going green doesn't always mean you have to spend a lot of money. There are cheaper and easier ways to do it. Here are 6 great tips:

1. Hang your clothes to dry using a clothesline.

Go old-school when it comes to drying clothes and linens. Instead of using a dryer that eats up a lot of energy, you can simply set up or a build a clothesline to hang the clothes and linens to dry under the heat of the sun. This simple strategy will have you saving a lot of money on your electricity.

2. Fix the can lights.

Recessed lighting can give the illusion of more space, create a soft glow on highlighted objects, and provide dimming effects, but although it's attractive and flexible, it is not airtight and insulated. To boost its energy efficiency, you can replace it with an airtight model or use a retrofit kit to give it an airtight seal and some insulation. Fluorescent (or more energy-efficient) bulbs, which can last for 10,000 hours or more, can be used as well.

3. Have those refrigerator coils cleaned.

Plugged in 24 hours a day, the refrigerator can be the biggest energy-guzzler in the house. So the coils can transfer heat more easily and it will take less energy to keep food cold and fresh inside, dust off the coils using a brush that can get through the back of the refrigerator. This simple trick will not only improve the cooling efficiency of the refrigerator but will also help you cut back on energy cost.

4. Install faucet aerators.

That circular metal device that you put on your faucet can help conserve more water. The aerator adds more air to the water stream and breaks water from the faucet into finer droplets through the mesh screen. Even with that much rinsing power, you're able to use less water.

5. Use green cleaning products.

A bunch of house cleaning products are actually toxic or have chemicals or components that are not entirely safe to the environment. Instead of using these products, you can try using more organic home solutions such as baking soda, vinegar, and lemon juice. You can go green in your own little way.

6. Build a worm bin for your garbage.

Instead of stuffing your trash bin with tons of food scraps, you can feed these leftovers to a colony of worms. This worm bin can be a great way to recycle and can be your source of compost for the garden. You can buy a container or make your own bin lined with moist leaves or shredded cardboard.