Have you ever seen the insulation of your home? Or a photo of insulation? It’s not pretty, and it’s also not great for the environment. You don’t need the huge rolls of pink or blue insulation that wreaks havoc on the environment in order to keep your home insulated and your utilities bill low. Luckily, you can ditch those monstrous rolls, and opt for a green insulation option instead! There are plenty of both green and recycled insulation options to choose from to keep you cool this summer, and warm this winter.
Cork insulation
Of all of the recycled wood insulation options available to you, cork insulation is one of the most common. Cork is made from the bark of a species of Oak trees, and it’s a sustainable wood product. It’s not just for stopping your bottles of wine. Cork has outstanding temperature moderation capabilities. In addition, when you use recycled cork insulation for your home, you are preserving the bark on those trees to be used for other eco-friendly solutions.
Newspaper insulation
Newspapers become irrelevant as soon as you put it down after finishing reading it. Instead of throwing these away or recycling them, set them aside for a greater purpose. If you have naked water pipes, especially ones in your basement, you can wrap these naked pipes with old newspaper. This preserves the temperature of the water in the pipes. This will help you save money on your utility bill, because your water heater won’t have to work as hard.
Cellulose insulation
Cellulose is the most widely found organic compound on the planet. Cellulose is made from recycled paper. Using cellulose insulation for your home helps reduce greenhouse gas emission.
Wool insulation
Wool has the amazing capability to be resistant to both fire and water damage, which makes it a great option for your home insulation. Sheep wool is sustainable, and isn’t dangerous to handle like fiberglass insulation is. Harvesting sheep wool requires less energy to produce than their synthetic insulation counterparts. If you choose wool insulation, you can supplement it with other recycled insulation options to make it more affordable, such as old clothes, blankets, and newspapers.
Recycled denim insulation
Old and recycled denim is also a great insulation option, especially when paired with other options like wool! There are some companies that make more traditional insulation almost entirely out of recycled denim, such as Bonded Logic.
