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Candon Michelle Murphy, Materials and Sustainability Specialist at MG2, explains how to make your home more sustainable in this House Beautiful Blog. "There are many chemicals in our built environments and in the products we purchase that eventually leech into our living environment," warns Murphy. "As mindful consumers, we want to avoid those as much as possible." Cleaning with vinegar is a popular choice, naturally killing bacteria, germs and mold, and consider using essential oils instead of synthetic fragrances.

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When buying furniture and decor, consider supporting local artisans and avoiding mass produced items with a high-waste output or unethical manufacturing practises. Supporting local artisans is not only a more environmentally friendly way to decor your home, but it can also boost your community's economy. Alternatively, buying pre-loved items is a great way to go.

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Choosing to use reusable items wherever possible is a simple way to be more environmentally conscious. Avoid single-use items such as shopping bags, water bottles, plastic wrap, straws, and parchment paper.

Organic Cotton Sheet Set from West Elm

To make your home more eco-friendly, Huffpost suggests choosing wool blankets over polyester since wool is more eco-friendly to produce. You can also make the switch to organic cotton or sustainable bamboo linens (did you know that cotton linens account for 25% of the world's insecticide use?!).

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Environmentally-aware builder and construction expert Dean Ipaviz shared some ideas of how to lessen your home’s carbon footprint with Origin Energy. One way is to install solar panels on your home, saving you thousands of dollars in the long term while reducing the impact of non-renewable energy sources on the environment. If you're thinking of building your dream home in the coming years, this is a great option to keep in mind!

Use air-con only when necessary. “Cross ventilation is key. You will probably want to install fly screens if you don’t already have them because the idea is that you can open your windows at night to allow those cooling breezes to come through the home – and you don’t want the bugs to get in,” Ipaviz says.

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Improve the air quality in your home with house plants! Ipaviz also suggests starting a compost in your yard to lessen your contribution to landfill.

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Making small changes to your daily routine can significantly help to reduce your environmental impact. “We need to start becoming more aware that there is a large footprint behind every electrical switch, behind water heaters or air-con, and start to realise that all of the little savings we make, add up to a really big saving globally,” says Ipaviz.

Let’s all do our part by implementing some environmentally friendly practices in our homes!