Sustainable Steps

Dwell Well

Here are some steps to make your home more eco-friendly — from the products you clean with to big ticket renos. Logged in? Check off the steps you’ve completed to earn points toward the Dwell Well badge.

Clean Cleaning

Many mainstream cleaning products — household names like Mr. Clean and Windex — will clean your house and make it very shiny, but they also come with potential risks for cancer and hormonal disruption — as well as polluting the groundwater around us. I’ve just done an overhaul of my cleaning products. It was an uphill battle to find ones that actually work, but I’ve found some good ones — will blog very soon about specifics, but until then, know this: my favourite brand so far is Mrs. Meyer’s.

Collect Rain Water

As our summers heat up, they also (often) dry up, creating wildfire risks and water shortages hand in hand. Translation: at the times our plants are most desperate for water, we’ll often be under advisory or even restrictions to conserve water. One way to help mitigate this is to collect water when it rains — in a barrel if you have one, or a kiddie pool if you have one, or just leave a bunch of pots outside and use whatever water you can gather.

Efficient Lighting

There are a few ways to do this. The first (simplest) is to choose LED over CFL or incandescent bulbs. They use less energy and last longer. You can even get these for your plants and reptiles now.

Installing new lights? Consider motion sensors. We have them in our bathrooms, and it’s a luxurious touch at night to be able to walk in without fumbling for the light switch. It’s also a good way to make sure they get turned off when the motion stops.

A third way to make your lighting more efficient is to have timed off/off switches — so even if your husband leaves the pantry light on when he gets a late night cookie, you can set it to turn off on its own.

Buy Energy-Efficient Appliances

I wouldn’t buy new ones until they’re creaking out the last of their lives (Sustainable Step #1: Buy Less), but when replacing a fridge or washing machine, choose ENERGY STAR-rated appliances. It will lower your energy bill and environmental footprint at the same time.

Choose Natural Materials For Floors And Counters

Renovating? Choose reclaimed wood, bamboo, natural stone, or recycled/repurposed materials to create your new space.

My husband built our kitchen counter out of an abandoned snooker table slate. We love the look, and it’s a fun conversation piece when someone sees a pocket hole and asks why it’s there.

You don’t need to break the bank to get great stuff. If you shop end of the line clearance items, you can often get amazing deals on high end tiles, flooring, and more. An even more sustainable option is a place like Habitat for Humanity’s Restore — a beautiful example of a circular economy in motion.

Install a Heat Pump

Replacing a furnace? Want to add A/C to a house that was built before summers were hot enough you needed it? Heat pumps do it all — heating and cooling — using way less energy than traditional systems. And they don’t leak bad chemicals like old school A/C. Win for your wallet and the environment. Check out your local options for government rebate programs to help offset the installation cost.

Choose an Eco-Friendly Roof

Again, no need to replace until yours isn’t doing its job anymore. But when you do, consider:

• Green roof: Excellent insulation, great for biodiversity. I’d recommend this for a flat roof in the city.
• Reclaimed slate or clay: a great balance of natural and durable materials. They also look lovely.
• Metal: lasts a long time (an average of 40-70 years), and fully recyclable at the end of their lifespan. We have one, and I love the way it sounds in the rain.

Install Solar Panels

We haven’t done this yet, but we’re very solar curious. Depending where you live, solar panels can pay for themselves within 8-20 years.

Choose Eco-friendly Carpet

Replacing a carpet? Try to avoid synthetic materials — they create microplastic dust, and often have a toxic “anti-stain” coating. Instead, choose carpets made from natural, renewable, biodegradable fibers, like wool, hemp, and bamboo. 

Install Low-Flow Fixtures

When it’s time for a new shower head, faucet, or toilet, choose a low-flow option to reduce water and heating energy.

Upgrade Insulation

Whether you’re insulating walls, attics, and floors, or sealing gaps and cracks around windows and doors, it all helps reduce the energy it takes to heat or cool your home. Time for new windows or doors? Consider double or triple-glazed windows and energy-efficient doors to minimize heat loss and gain.

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