How do I make my house more eco friendly in The Sims 4?

The best way is to incorporate more renewable energy sources, upgrade appliances to be more efficient, grow your own produce, use eco-friendly products/materials, and reduce everyday resource waste. Each area comes with various options to weigh based on your Sim‘s priorities and budget.

Install renewable energy sources

Adding solar panels, wind turbines, water generators or dew collectors allows households to take better control over their energy sources by harnessing natural processes, instead of relying solely on the local electrical grid.

Benefits:

• Reduce grid electricity usage by 20-40%
• Lower bills; payback period around 3-5 years
• Improve neighborhood eco rating
• Additional income selling excess power back to utility

However, these systems do involve significant upfront costs between §10,000-15,000 depending on capacity. Maintenance is also required over their 25+ year lifespan.

When choosing between options, solar and wind have complementary production curves – solar peaks mid-day when wind is low, while late afternoon winds pick up as solar wanes. Water and dew work round the clock, but generate less total energy.

Based on my experience, combining solar and wind turbines provides the best bang for buck, but advanced players can experiment with blending 4+ sources for maximized self-sufficiency.

Upgrade appliances and electronics

Using scrap parts to upgrade refrigerators, ovens, computers, TVs and lights to more efficient models can dramatically cut their energy drain.

Potential savings:

• Up to 75% less energy use per upgraded appliance
• 10-20% drop in household electrical load

However, with limited part supplies from the local fabricator, households must prioritize the highest impact items first.

General upgrade order:

1. Refrigerator: Largest constant draw, upgrade ASAP
2. Oven/Stove: Major cooking power sink
3. Washer/Dryer: Large motors, used frequently
4. Miscellaneous electronics: TV, computer, speakers
5. Lighting: Bulbs are relatively low wattage to start

Note: Dishwashers, coffee makers and other "micro" appliances should be deprioritized as their total contribution to energy bills is small.However, upgrading 3-4 major systems can save §150-300 per week – with full payback possible in under one Sim year!

Grow your own produce

In addition to the cost savings from growing your own veggies and herbs, it also removes emissions from commercial farm equipment and transportation – making it one of the easiest "green" changes.

Even a simple 4×4 plot can supply a steady source of carrots, potatoes and leafy greens for the whole family. And vertical wall gardens open up herbs or strawberries as options for urban apartments with limited yard space.

Tips for best results:

• Focus on 2-4 fast growing crops to start
• Use the best available fertilizers and plant treatments to maximize yield
• Go with auto-watering wall planters to reduce maintenance
• Plant new seeds every 3-4 days for multiple staggered harvests per week

Word of warning – unchecked weeds, dead plants or poor soil can reduce yields quickly. But with proper TLC, households can save ≥25% on weekly grocery bills while shrinking their eco footprint.

Choose eco-friendly cleaning products

Conventionally produced cleaners waste significant petrochemical resources in manufacturing process, while relying on harsh ingredients like bleach that require special handling procedures.

Thankfully, DIY eco-cleaning options abound for Sim households focused on sustainability.

Recommended recipes and applications:

• All purpose cleaner: White vinegar, water, lemon juice, essential oils
• Glass/windows: Corn starch or lemon juice mixed with water
• Toilets: Baking soda and vinegar treatment; brush with salt scrub
• Wood polish: Olive/coconut oil infused with lemon and/or lavender
• Stain remover: Baking soda paste with hydrogen peroxide

These products match or even outperform standard mixes on most cleaning needs, with the added benefit of costing up to 75% less too!

Start by picking 1-2 household problem areas and replace old chemical solutions with greener methods. Over time, its easy to switch your whole cleaning arsenal over.

Reduce everyday energy and water usage

Small habit changes around the house can have an outsized impact on reducing resource waste. Appliances left continuously running, excessive shower times, or households lighting can drain energy for negligible gain.

Here are effective no-cost steps to incrementally trim utility usage:

Energy

• Switch lights off in unused rooms
• Set computer/TV sleep settings down to 20 minutes or less
• Unplug chargers and appliances when not in use
• Adjust the thermostat up 2°F in summer or down 2°F in winter

Water

• Take Navy showers down to 5 mins (wet, turn off water, lather wash, quick rinse)
• Fix any leaky faucets (1 drip/second wastes 100+ gallons per week)
• Only run full loads of laundry or dishes

Households being diligent around these wasteful patterns can reduce energy bills 10-15%, while cutting water usage 20% or more.

Recycle, reuse, reduce waste

Roughly 70% of household waste could be recycled or repurposed based on studies – presenting a major opportunity to keep tons of plastic, paper, glass and electronics out of overflowing landfills.

Sims have various options to cut their material footprint:

Reuse

• Donate old furniture, dishes or electronics in good condition to community center
• Sell usable items to friends and neighbors or at yard sale

Recycle

• Break down newspapers, containers, appliances at the scrapyard
• Compost all food and yard waste to create renewable fertilizer

Avoid Landfill Waste

• Take high quality metal/tech items to drone recycling center
• Place scraps like wood or fabric in indoor recycling bin

Challenges

• Time investment required for sorting waste streams
• Storage space needed for compost and recyclables
• Remembering to use reusable bags, bottles and containers

But the benefits are well worth it: Households recycling >75% of waste can save 20% or more on utility bills while advancing community footprint goals.