One of the best ways that people can easily help the environment is by using green energy in their homes. There are simple adjustments and improvements that people can make in their homes that will have a significant positive impact on the environment. The following article is packed with information on how to do this.
If https://instapaper.com/p/myledlighting/ you are considering purchasing outdoor lighting look into solar lamps. The solar lamps are relatively inexpensive and will not need any additional power other than direct sunlight. This, of course, will save you a lot of money. You also don't need to hang lights or wires outdoors.
When building your home, pay attention to its orientation. An ideal home should be protected against overhead sun during the summer and be oriented so that it gets low-angle sun in the winter. This is a good way to save money on your heating bill and will keep your home cool in the summer.
If you want to conserve energy, adjust your air conditioning unit so that it is set two degrees higher in the summer and two degrees lower in the winter. You will probably not be able to tell that you have changed it, but taking that step will save you on your monthly bill and bring down your carbon emissions.
Turn off all appliances. When not using appliances in your home, make it a habit to turn them off when not in use. Items such as televisions, computers, and lights should all be off so you can prevent unwanted energy use. Not only is this good for using less energy, your electric bill will be much less too!
Go green on your coffee break by bringing your own cup. If you usually order a Tall Latte at Starbucks, bring a tall re-usable coffee mug with you. Every time you ask your favorite coffee shop to mix your drink in your own cup, you are helping to green your environment.
Save energy, and your hard-earned dollars, by only using your washing machine and dishwasher when you have a full load. A small load uses just as much energy as a full load and accomplishes a lot less for the energy expenditure. Let laundry stack up another day or two in order to maximize savings and efficiency. Also consider drying clothes outdoors on a clothesline if allowed in your area. The fresh outdoorsy scent can't be beat, and you will show a significant savings in your utility bill if you cut back on your dryer usage.
Using green energies is not an excuse to use more energy than you really need. Do not forget to turn the lights off when you leave a room and putting on a sweater instead of turning the heat up. Even if green energies are cheaper, you should still do your best to save as much energy as you can.
Dress more warmly to be green and reduce energy costs. You can wear a heavy sweater instead of a light one to give yourself more warmth when you're at home. It's not necessary to dress good at home, so grab a sweater to save money.
An easy way to make your home greener is to replace your old light fixtures with ones, which are ENERGY STAR qualified. If you are unable to install ENERGY STAR qualified lighting fixtures at the moment, at least replace your standard light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) which use much less energy.
Monitor how many watts you use. There are devices like Watt Minder or Kill-A-Watt that can monitor your wattage and help you see what is consuming energy. You can plug in various devices into these devices and see how much energy that item uses for periods of time including a hour, month, and even a year. This will show you the cost of your appliance.
Get your whole family thinking about green energy by stocking organic, recycled or eco-friendly products whenever possible. Ask your kids to identify such products on the shelves at the store and explain why those products are better for your family, your home and your environment. You can also segue such conversations into other eco-friendly practices like shutting off the water while brushing your teeth or turning off lights when not in a room.
If your dishwasher was made before 1994, replace it with a new, high-efficiency model to save both electricity and water. Modern dishwashers use fewer gallons per load than older units, and they come with a wider variety of settings that allow you to customize your energy usage based on the size of the load.
Don't turn your heat up too far in the home, unless you need to. If you are feeling cold, add a layer of clothing instead of reaching for the thermostat. This saves you from using energy that would be required to sustain heat at that high level.
Try using programmable thermostats to save energy inside your home. These let you adjust the times when you can turn on your heater or air-conditioning according to the schedule you set up. As a result, you're not operating anything as much when you're not home, or when you're asleep.
Add solar panels to the roof for an immediately greener, and more energy efficient, home. Do not be discouraged by the initial high investment costs, as you will recoup that money in the form of monthly energy savings. You don't have to pay for solar energy each month; you only have to pay to install solar panels. You may also be able to sell solar power to https://www.energy.gov/savings/search your local electricity company.
Opt for rechargeable over disposable batteries. The debate on using disposable batteries or rechargeable batteries has long been a heavy conversation. Of course, rechargeable batteries are better for the environment, and that is a point that cannot be argued against. After many years, studies have shown that rechargeable batteries also concretely save you money on energy costs as well. It looks like there is nothing to argue about now.
Consider a geo-thermal hot water heater. A geo-thermal heater is buried deep into the ground and it will heat your water in much the same way that hot springs offer hot water. It is cost effective in that it uses only about half the amount of electricity as a traditional hot water heater.
While it will take some time, effort and dedication to put what you've learned here into effect in your home, the rewards will be worth every second. Lowered bills, less reliance on the grid and a warm, fuzzy feeling in your heart are just some of the benefits you'll enjoy, so get started today!
