Implementing a green lifestyle has many benefits for you and the environment you live in. Simple home modifications can help you save money on electricity and become more energy efficient. Continue reading to find some great advice to help you green your energy.
Putting in solar panels in your home for solar energy is easy. However, before doing this, you need to consider a few things. Think about the amount of sunlight that hits your house on an average day. If your home is mostly in the shade, or if you live in a location that receives little sun, your power gain may be minimal.
Be a better consumer of energy, and cut your home energy usage by unplugging your electronic chargers when they are not in use. Chargers for cell phones, mp3 players, laptops and other devices draw some power when they are plugged in, regardless of whether you are actually charging the device.
Instead of using fuel oil to heat your home, try to make a switch to biodiesel. Many systems will take a switch to some level of biodiesel without any extra parts or modifications. Biodiesel burns much cleaner, is more efficient than petroleum, and will lessen the impact your home has on the environment in wintertime.
Keep covers on your windows when not in your home. This helps to keep your house at a cooler temperature and lower the amount of energy used. South-facing windows get maximum sun. Make sure that all the windows are covered with dark curtains, blinds, roman shades, or whatever shade you choose.
Save money and energy by only running your dishwasher with a full load of dishes. Don’t run it with only a few things. You’ll be surprised at how many dishes a dishwasher can load. Make sure you take time to place the dishes in properly so as to maximize the space available.
Replace a water heater that is tank-style, with a model that is green and has no tank. Instead of keeping a whole tank of water hot at all times, tankless models only heat the water you are actually going to use. Tankless heaters are available in models that supply the entire house or a single faucet with hot water.
Use electric heating sparingly in the winter. You can wear warmer clothing instead, and warm up your home with your fireplace. An additional benefit to limiting the amount of electrical heaters is that it helps prevent your airways from becoming dry, resulting in better breathing.
Wearing warmer clothes helps slash energy costs as you go green. Lighter sweaters can add 2 more degrees of warmth, while heavy sweaters increase warmth by 4 degrees. There is no need to be fashionable while at home watching TV, so put on some layers and put some money back in your pocket!
Energy Consumption
Keep written track to remind yourself of your green energy goals, and look for progress in your energy consumption by comparing current bills to the previous year’s. Increasing your consciousness of your energy consumption can help you cut back. If you form good habits of cutting your electric or water usage, turning off appliances and lights when not in use becomes automatic.
The next time you decorate your home or tree for the holiday season, use LED lights instead of standard light strands. A US study shows We could save at least a couple billion kilowatt hours if each person would make this change. That’s enough to power a quarter of a million houses for a year! You could reduce the amount of your own utility bill as well.
One easy way to go green is to use an on-demand water heater. Traditional water heaters run constantly, wasting energy because they heat water when it isn’t needed. On-demand models provide hot water instantly when necessary, instead of continuously throughout the day, saving you money and energy.
Buy products made of bamboo when buying wooden items. Bamboo grows fast and in abundance; it does not have the same negative environmental impact as cutting down trees. Its rate of growth is very high and is being utilized for everything from wood flooring to cutting boards. This saves energy on the recycling and production end of manufacturing products.
It will pay off over time if you spend more on green efficient products in the future. Energy savings, coupled with monetary savings, will make the investment worthwhile over the longer term. It is also one more positive impact on the environment that compounds.
Consider changing out your old windows and replacing them with newer, more energy-efficient models. You’ll not only see a reduction in your energy bill, but you will also reduce carbon dioxide, condensation on the inside of your windows and a reduction of outside noise in your home.
You read in the first paragraph of this article that going green doesn’t take much time and money. Oftentimes, just a few simple changes around the home will save energy and money. Keep these tips in mind so that you can help the environment.