How green is your home?

Over the past few years there's been a cultural shift towards living greener lifestyles and being more mindful of the planet. This extends from what you eat and how you recycle right down to how you use your home.

If you think your house isn't as eco-friendly as it could be, follow these tips to help look after the planet and save yourself a bit of money in the process.

Bathroom

A little bathroom DIY could make all the difference for living a cleaner greener lifestyle. Water conservation should be the most important factor in your renovations. Start by looking at your toilet. If replacing it with a more water-conservative model doesn't fit into your budget, one simple green tip is to fill a plastic bottle with water and some sand and place it in your toilet cistern.

This will save water with every flush, meaning you'll not only be looking after the planet by conserving h2o but you'll also save money on your water bill!

Next, turn to your shower. While those huge high-pressure shower heads can be extremely tempting, think about how much water you use every time you step into the stall. A low-flow shower head could reduce your hot water bill significantly as you'll use much less water than if you had a high-pressure head.

Kitchen

When purchasing kitchen appliances such as fridges, freezers and washing machines, look for models with high energy ratings. The energy label shows the average energy rating of the appliance per year, and the more stars the it has the better it is for the environment and your power bill.

Another easy green fix is to replace light bulbs with eco-friendly fluorescent bulbs. Not only will these last much longer than regular bulbs, but they'll use less electricity too.

Paint

If you're thinking about doing some DIY painting, consider the formula of the product you use. Some varieties are made from solvents that give off toxic air pollutants called volatile organic compounds. Not only can these be damaging to your health, but they're also not great for the earth.

Look for low or no-VOC paints to use in your home instead. You can get these in a range of colours and finishes, so there's no excuse for using toxic paints in your house.