Building greener: simple swaps that make a difference

cathyg46 · 2025-11-17T21:16:22Z

One thing I did when redoing my kitchen was skip the regular drywall and use recycled gypsum board. It’s not a huge, flashy change, but it felt good knowing it was made from post-consumer materials and has less of an impact. Also, cork flooring is surprisingly comfy and warm—plus it grows back super fast, so it’s way more sustainable than hardwood. If you’re not into big renovations, even just swapping out paint for low-VOC or natural clay-based stuff helps a ton with indoor air quality (and doesn’t smell as bad). I’ve even heard of people using old denim insulation, which sounds wild but apparently works great. Curious if anyone’s tried something a little out there? Like mushroom bricks or straw bales? Any weird or underrated eco materials you’d actually recommend?

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fashion752

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I get the comfort thing, but honestly, those heat pump water heaters are a big upfront cost. I looked into it, and the payback period just didn’t make sense for my budget. Sometimes the “simple swaps” aren’t that simple when you’re counting every penny.