By making eco-friendly choices at home, we can all do our bit to go green and protect the planet. By doing so, we can often save money in the process as greener living sometimes equates to cheaper living. We can also be a good role model to our children if we take active steps to care for the environment. 

Chances are, you are probably doing a lot to go green already. But if you're looking for a few ideas, keep reading for a few useful tips. 

#1: Change your energy supplier

Many of us change energy suppliers to experience the financial benefits. However, there is another reason to change suppliers and that is to do more to support the world we live in. 

There are a number of energy firms that power homes with naturally sourced energy, including Octopus, which uses 100% green electricity as standard. Making the switch is easy - you can head over to their website or use this Octopus referral link - and they are definitely worth considering if you're planning on changing suppliers soon.

Compare Octopus with other green energy suppliers on sites such as MoneySupermarket.com to find out which is the most affordable for you. 

#2: Make eco-friendly renovations

If your home isn't particularly eco-friendly, perhaps because the windows aren't energy-efficient or because you're reliant on electricity to power your devices, you could make a few renovations if you have the time and money to do so.

You could install solar panels on your property, replace your windows with something double or triple-glazed, and install underfloor heating, as just a few examples of the things you could do to 'green up' your home. Check out these sustainable DIY tips to learn more. 

#3: Create a vegetable garden

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If your kids are fussy about eating their greens, they might be more likely to eat them if they have a hand in growing vegetables themselves. This is one way to encourage them to eat healthier and you will save money too.

It's also a way to live sustainably and be kind to the planet as the food you grow won't have been tainted by the pesticides and fertilisers that can harm the environment. You won't need to drive to the store to pick up your vegetables either, so this is one way to reduce your carbon emissions. 

#4: Use eco-friendly cleaning products

Many store-bought cleaning products are overloaded with toxic chemicals that can be both bad for the environment and bad for your children when inhaled or touched. 

Therefore, be selective when shopping and choose something that has been made with environmentally safe ingredients. Alternatively, save money by making your own green cleaning products. You might have the items needed in your kitchen already, so it might be possible to save yourself a trip to your local store!

#5: Form energy-saving habits

The more energy you use, the more electricity you generate and the bigger your carbon footprint becomes. Therefore, consider the steps you can take with your family to save energy. By getting into good habits, you will reduce your energy bill and do your bit to care for the environment.

To save energy, your family should…

• Turn off lights when leaving a room

• Unplug devices when they are not in use

• Only turn on the heating when necessary

• Keep the thermostat at a low temperature

• Wash laundry at full loads instead of half loads

Sit down with your family and think of other things you could do around the home to save energy.

#6: Stop wasting food

If your kids are enjoying the vegetables they have grown in your garden, there might be less food waste anyway. 

But if waste food is a problem in your home, you should do what you can to prevent the issue. By doing so, you will protect the environment from the harmful methane gases that are released when food rots. 

To reduce the issue of waste food, make a meal plan each week so you only buy what you need. This way, you are less likely to have perishable foods in your pantry that go off before you have the time to eat them. 

If you have leftover ingredients after preparing a meal, you could reuse them the next day for something else. You could also discard some waste foods into the compost to give back to the earth instead of destroying it. 

Finally

These are just some of the ways to go green in your family home. 

Do you have any other ideas? if so, leave us a comment below for the benefit of our readers.