The mindset of consumers around the world is changing fast as more people become more conscious of their effect on the environment. According to recent research, approximately 86 percent of people want to the world to transition to more sustainable practices. As more people make the change to sustainable living, companies and businesses have had to follow suit or risk losing customers.

If you want to make your household eco-friendlier, there are dozens of ways you can do so.

Below are just a handful of methods you can apply to your own home and transform it into a greener environment.

1. Cook More Food

Americans eat a lot of takeout food. One research says that 60 percent of Americans have food delivered to their homes at least once a week. This may be cheap and convenient for some, but this also means that a disproportionate segment of the population uses up a lot of plastic and other materials for their meals. Each takeout or delivered meal uses up paper bags, plastic bags, Styrofoam containers, and other detritus.

Cooking more food at home cuts down on wasted plastic and paper. Not only can making your own meals be more eco-friendly, but it's also way more nutritious as you have more control over your portions and ingredients. Although the washing up after may seem a little wasteful, just remember that the plastic containers and packaging used by takeout are way more dangerous than water and dishwashing liquid.

2. Learn to Sew

Other common objects that end up in waste bins or Dumpsters are clothes. People sometimes spend lots of money on buying cheaply made clothes that tear or break down within months. Other times people get rid of their clothes because of some superficial damage like a rip or a tear. This means that products that exact a heavy cost on the environment are just consigned to the dump.

Learning how to sew used to be a widespread skill. Even with the simplest sewing skills, you can save a lot of clothing from ending up in the garbage. It's now easier than ever to learn how to sew, with the abundance of materials available out there.

On the internet, you can find detailed tutorials on how to master sewing as well as sites where you can buy patterns by Gertie, sewing machines from Singer, and all sorts of fabrics.

3. Use Rain Catchers

Most households need copious amounts of water to function, especially detached homes with their own gardens and lawns. However, these large properties can use more water than they're supposed to. This heavy water cost can be compounded if you have cars to wash, plenty of windows to clean, and patios to scrub.

You can offset the heavy water usage needed by these types of households by employing rain catchers. There are many forms of rain catchers. Some are just large barrels you direct your gutters and drainpipes into. Others are specialized gutters that aim to collect as much water from your roof. Whatever design your rain catcher may take, use the water collected wisely to avoid consuming more than you actually need.

4. Plant Trees

Another huge energy sink in any home is keeping it cool during hot weather. Opening windows can help a little, but this measure will do little when there is no breeze. Other methods such as using air conditioning and turning on electric fans cost a lot of electricity. This means that power plants and energy grids have to work overtime to keep homes cool.

One of the best ways you can make sure your house is cooler than surrounding properties is by plating plenty of trees and shrubs around it. Trees release moisture through their leaves, cooling down the air around them. Not only that, but the trees themselves also provide shade through their foliage and leaf cover. A single tree cools your entire property and even adjoining areas.

5. Use More Natural Light

Finally, electrical lights don't use a lot of energy but too many of them open at the same time can make your electricity bill balloon. One of the most practical ways you can reduce your home's reliance on the energy grid is by making the most of natural lighting.

When you need to illuminate the interior of your home in the day, throw open the shades and curtains to let the sunlight stream in. You can also install openings such as skylights and French windows to maximize the amount of light you can get for free.

Ensuring your home doesn't take as much from the environment takes a lot of work. This can range from assembling sturdy DIY stepstools instead of buying cheap furniture to using reclaimed oil as fuel. Hopefully, these simpler tips can help you begin the transition to a sustainable home with ease.