It is crucial we care for our planet, and that is reason enough to seek out ways to utilize green energy as much as possible. From solar to wind power, there’s lots of ways to get eco-friendly energy. So, you are probably wondering how to make green changes in your life. Read more to find out.
If you plan to purchase lighting for your deck or patio, you should give solar-powered lamps a try. The solar lamps are relatively inexpensive and will not need any additional power other than direct sunlight. You save a lot of energy in the process. It means that there is no need to run wires outside to hook up lights.
Heat your pools, hot tubs and showers more efficiently with a solar hot water system. Using natural gas or electricity is not as efficient as solar power, and solar water heaters can keep the water temperature steady. You may get tax deductions to offset the expense of installing some of this technology.
If you heat your home with fuel, talk to a technician about using biodiesel. Many heating systems are able to change over to some biodiesel use without needing modifications or extra parts. Biodiesel runs more efficiently, burns more clean, and costs you less during the winter.
Find out what energy options your community has available. Compare costs and look up regulations on green energy and tax incentives. It may be beneficial to switch from electric heat to natural gas heat, or from city water to well water, for example.
When a home has windows and doors stormed air flow is actually better in that household. They will help prevent cold air drafts in your home. Storm doors and windows can help save as much as 45 percent on energy costs.
Solar Power
Try to learn about passive and active solar power. Activer solar power lets stored energy be used later, while passive power doesn’t require expensive storage cells. To use active power, you must install mechanical systems, cells and solar panels. While when you use passive they use the thermal energy from the sun in order to store energy inside the walls of your house and heat your household with it.
There are products available for purchase that can help you reduce your energy costs. There are a variety of products, including eco-friendly doors and double-glazed windows that will make your home run far more efficiently. These kinds of products can cut down dramatically on your cooling and heating costs.
Pay attention to local and federal rebates for renewable energy updates on your home. Your local utility company may be offering green energy rebates to apply updates. If not, there might be tax credits or deductions available from the federal or state government. These rebates, credits, and other allowances can make it much more affordable to install renewable energy equipment on your property.
Have the bulk of your correspondence sent to your email. Eliminate as much paper from companies as you can. Businesses will have a much easier time communicating with you, and they will be saving energy. This protects the environment, too.
Solar Oven
Try using a solar oven for your baking needs. Use common household items to make a solar oven. Put a piece of an old window into a box and place foil inside the box to reflect the sun’s rays. Ovens like this can be assembled quickly, reach temperatures in excess of 300 degrees, and do not require any energy besides the sun.
Watch watt usage carefully. There are devices like Watt Minder or Kill-A-Watt that can monitor your wattage and help you see what is consuming energy. Plug your appliances in to these devices to find out what amount of energy is required each year, month or hour to run it. This is helpful in showing you exactly what each appliance costs to run.
In order to keep up with energy efficiency goals, compare all your energy bills to previous year to see how much progress you are making. Simply by being aware of your energy costs will help you be more efficient in your energy output. If you are specifically focusing on reducing your electricity and water consumption, then you are going to be more conscious of lights left on, or dripping taps.
Green Energy
Transitioning to green energy sources is a move everyone should work towards. Green energy offers us the chance to lower our negative impact on the environment, and it really is the best alternative available today. By using the ideas in this article, you should be able to start adding more green to your life.