Not a day goes by without hearing about climate change and the urgent need to act to take care of our environment. Adopting eco-responsible behaviours that have a positive impact on the environment is everyone’s business, and we now need to keep up with the trends that will help protect the biodiversity of our beautiful planet. Fortunately, it is possible to do your part and change or adopt certain behaviours that will have a positive effect on the environment. And since every small action counts, we can all integrate a few of them into our lifestyle, whatever it may be.
A more ecological home
Homes built in recent years are constructed in a much more eco-responsible way than before, and Groupe PM fully embraces this trend. Claddings and materials are chosen carefully, in a way that reduces the ecological footprint while saving energy. For example, home insulation, in the walls, ceilings and windows, helps keep heat in during winter and coolness in during summer, resulting in lower energy consumption. Inside, installing heated floors can also reduce energy use and maintain a comfortable climate in every season.
New homes, like those built by Groupe PM, are also equipped with systems designed to reduce water use. For example, you will find low-flow toilets and faucet aerators. By injecting tiny air bubbles into the outgoing water, aerators can reduce water flow by 30 to 70% without compromising effectiveness. A simple way to reduce water waste.
To take care of the environment, certain habits can also be improved outside the house. Since grass requires a significant amount of water to keep its beautiful green colour, maintaining a healthy lawn also means using many litres of water over the course of a year. Fortunately, new ground-cover plants are appearing in the landscaping world. You may be advised to plant thyme, clover or moss to cover your lot. Just as green as grass, they require far less frequent watering. Their only small flaw: they withstand foot traffic less well than traditional grass. It is therefore best to plant them in an area with a little less foot traffic.
Small actions to take every day
By choosing a new home, you will have the chance to live in a property built to more eco-responsible standards. But you can also adopt a few small daily habits that will help take care of the environment.
Let’s start with composting and recycling. The vast majority of cities encourage their citizens to adopt environmentally friendly habits, and provide an organic waste bin and a recycling bin at every address. Get into the habit of putting plastic, cardboard and paper in the recycling bin and composting all food, table scraps, meat bones, eggshells, fruit and vegetable peels and even tissues. You will be surprised to see how much the volume of your garbage shrinks over the weeks.
Also make sure not to throw any hazardous products in the garbage. Empty paint cans, batteries and old electronics should be dropped off directly at your municipality’s ecocentre, which will then take the necessary steps to dispose of them ecologically.
Finally, adopt a few “zero waste” habits by choosing reusable straws, cups and water bottles and reducing your use and consumption of plastic as much as possible. Also use ecological cleaning and maintenance products and, if you like, make them yourself with lemon, vinegar and baking soda.
