Angora rabbits look like very large piles of fur. If not groomed, you can barely make out the rabbit’s features. Their fur can be trimmed off or plucked out when they molt. This is then spun into yarn. It’s very intriguing to read about this animal, but they are not the only creature with soft fur that can be made into yarn. The most common animal that we think of when we mention wool would be sheep, but there are also llamas, alpacas, goats, and many other animals that have garment worthy wool. My family owns alpacas and I know from experience that their wool is extremely soft and extremely valuable.

But what’s so ecolonomic about wool? Owning these animals may not be suitable for many. Some don’t have the land, others don’t have the time, and many don’t have the experience. The nice thing about the latter detail is that people have been through it before and have blogs, forums, and websites all about raising these creatures. Experience is not necessary. For the people who have the land and the time for these animals, they can have a huge cost benefit. Not only is their breeding valuable, but so is their wool. The wool is one hundred percent natural, making it very eco-friendly. You can sell the fiber right after the sheering, spin the fiber yourself and sell it as yarn, or make something out of the yarn for yourself or to sell.

The nice thing about producing this wool yourself is that you know for a fact that it is all organic, a sweatshop did not produce any of the yarn or items that can be made with the wool, and you get 100% of the profits. If you can’t raise any of these fiber rich creatures, but you like to knit or crochet, you can always buy yarn from your local farmers and support the community. If you do already raise these animals and already sell their wool, let me suggest composting their manure and selling this as all natural fertilizer. That is just another way to make a buck from some very sustainable animals. Tell us if you think that this might be an idea that you could use for helping us all improve the planet.

One thing that is very resourceful is a compost pile/bucket. Instead of throwing away food and some biodegradable products you can place them in a pile or bucket (I believe trash cans can work) of dirt and worms and reduce your waste. This is a great way to recycle leftovers and even paper towels. The compost is great for gardens. It becomes a perfect fertilizer, but be weary of using a compost that has any sort of manure in it for your gardens. Make sure that it is well aged (a year or more) because E. coli can live in the manure of some animals and if you use fertilizer with ripe manure that bacteria can grow in your plants. This is especially bad for vegetable gardens.

Appliances can be big inhibitor to eco-renovations. Energy star certified appliances are all more energy efficient than others and will save you money in terms of electricity and water. It’s important to know whether you have these certifications on your appliances. If you don’t you could be wasting water and energy let alone money.

Something that is not stressed enough and is something that makes a big impact is recycling. Just recycling bottles and cans alone saves the environment. Now take it a step further and figure out what other things you can put in the recycling bins. Paper is another huge product that pays to be recycled. Call the company that you recycle with and figure out what all you can put in the pins. It really pays off in the long run.

These are just simple, but cost effective ways to renovate your home for a more cost efficient and environmentally friendly atmosphere. These are important but one of the most important things to do and sometimes the hardest is to reduce. Reduce the amount of food you eat, reduce the amount of water you use, reduce the amount of paper you throw out. Reducing is a huge money saver! Remember these tips and please keep adding more! Comment on this article and add your own thoughts on how you can be more ecolonomic in your home.