We all have a responsibility to try and reduce our environmental impact. That means sustainable living is an important question for any modern home.
The ultimate ambition is for us all to work towards a zero-waste Malaysia, with a commitment to green living that supports a circular economy where we don’t just use products but reuse and recycle as part of a sustainable living community.
Making progress towards that goal starts with a first step. Here are 5 first steps you can take with our simple guide on ways to live sustainable in your home.
1) Light Up With LED
Changing to LED light bulbs in your home is one of the easiest changes you can make to support more sustainable living.
LED light bulbs produce more light for less energy than traditional light bulbs, meaning the same illumination consumes far less electricity.
Obviously, the less electricity we use, the less you pay to light up your home. As if that wasn’t good enough, LED light bulbs also have a much longer life span.
So while they might be a little bit more expensive to buy, you end up saving more money and burning less energy over the lifetime of a bulb.
2) Tackle Your Waste
Malaysia’s recycling rate is relatively low, estimated at only 17.5%, meaning there’s a huge scope for us to improve on our sustainable living.
If you live in an area with an active recycling programme, you’re in a great position to reduce your waste.
Make a simple storage system in a utility room or under your sink to easily separate and store plastic, glass, cardboard, and whatever other items you’re able to recycle.
Once you get in the habit, you’re on track for a more sustainable home life.
If you don’t have an official recycling centre near you, try and get in touch with local community groups that might have social-driven recycling services you can use.
In many neighbourhoods, you can enjoy the convenience of recycling without centralised facilities.
Separating recyclable items as part of your garbage means that you benefit from enterprising garbage collectors who earn money from sending these items to recycling centres.
And let’s not forget the affectionately titled ‘Paper Lama’, another enterprising group willing to buy recyclables off residential households.
If you’re unsure, why not check with your neighbours to find out if this service exists in your area? That means sustainable living, supporting sustainable livelihoods.
But sustainable living isn’t just about what you throw out of your home, it’s also about what you bring in.
The numbers on plastic pollution alone are staggering, with over 8 million tonnes of plastic dumped in the world’s oceans each year.
You can help reduce your plastic use by carrying a reusable bag, refusing unnecessary plastic in shops, or carrying a refillable water bottle that you can top up at water filters at work or at home.
3) Consider Your Water Use
Water use is itself an important, and often overlooked, element of sustainable living. That makes it another great area to consider when thinking about how to be more sustainable in your home.
There are some simple steps you can take to reduce water use. Turning off a tap when you’re brushing your teeth can save as much as 13 litres of water a day.
Using an efficient dishwasher instead of hand washing is another great way to save water. If you’re washing by hand, make sure to fill a bowl instead of keeping the tap running.
Specialised shower heads are another handy tip, helping reduce water flow while maintaining that pleasant shower experience.
4) Keep It Clean With The Air-cond
It’s hard to imagine getting through a hot day in Malaysia without the help of some air-cond. But there are some important steps you can take to make sure that air-conditioning is as sustainable as possible.
The first part is making sure you get an air-cond unit that fits the room. There’s no point getting the world’s most powerful air-conditioning unit for a storage cupboard.
Next up, make sure and close all windows and doors before using your air-cond, it’s designed to keep one room cool, not help chill the neighbourhood.
Cleaning your filters regularly is another helpful trick, the cleaner the air filters are, the less energy it takes for your air-cond to operate.
5) Upgrade To 5-star Appliances
One of the biggest challenges to living more sustainably is making informed choices. Thankfully when it comes to large electrical goods, there are some handy guidelines to help.
The official Energy Efficiency Label offers clear guidelines on the energy performance of electrical products such as fans, televisions, refrigerators, and other large items.
That means those items with the most sustainable energy use gain an easily referenced 5-star rating.
Keep an eye out for that 5-star label when looking to purchase white goods or large electrical products.
These highly efficient items don’t just make a smart sustainable choice, it’s a smart economic one too, with 5-star efficiency offering substantial cost savings.
We’re committed to supporting customers to make informed decisions. That means informed home buyers, making the best possible choices for their homes. Make your next informed choice with the great range of properties for sale and rent on PropertyGuru.
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