You’ll learn how using green energy benefits your life as well as the environment by reading this article. You can use green energy in your home in many ways and here are some tips.
Choose solar-powered lights when installing outdoor lighting in your yard. Solar lamps are relatively inexpensive and can save you a great deal on wiring and electricity expenses. Not only does this save energy. It means you don’t have to wire up outdoor lights.
Wear natural fabrics in the summertime instead of cranking up the air conditioner. Natural fabrics, such as cotton, allow skin to remain cool by drawing moisture away from skin. Lighter colored fabrics will help you stay cooler without needing to turn on the air conditioner.
Are you the owner of a farm? If you do, then you probably own property. This might be an opportunity to rent a portion of that property to a company that will build a wind turbine on it. The turbine will provide free energy to you and close neighbors, and won’t take up much space.
When you can, wash your laundry in cold water. The majority of energy use from washing clothes is in the heating of the water. Cold water will do the job just as well; all you need is an effective clothes washing detergent. Don’t forget to wait until you have a full load of laundry to wash; that is the energy efficient way.
If you aren’t using an appliance, turn it off. When exiting rooms, turn off the computer, television or lights. You can save a lot of money on energy by investing into a new power strip for all of your electronics and turning it off when those electronics aren’t in use.
Never run a dishwasher that is partly empty. It makes use of a fixed amount of energy no matter the amount of dishes it has. When you run a dishwasher, use the ‘energy-saver’ setting so dishes can air-dry.
When you plan a solar system for your home, try calculating what the energy generation of your system will be when you use hours worth of sun in the winter. This prevents unpleasant surprises in the winter, and it saves money during the summer. You may even get rebates from your utility company in summer months if you sign up for net usage and use solar panels.
Change up the way you dress in your home and warm yourself up to avoid turning on the heater if possible. By simply putting on a sweater, you can improve your heated temperature by between 2 to 4 degrees. You don’t have to wear a t-shirt and shorts in your home, so dress warmly and save money!
Active Solar Power
Spend time in order to learn the difference between passive and active solar power. Active solar power is stored so it can be used later, but passive doesn’t need pricey solar panel cells to store power. Active power requires the installation of solar panels, mechanical systems, and cells. Passive energy is about using windows and insulation to keep your home warm and well-lit.
Try not to set the heat very high in your home unless it’s an absolute must. If you’re chilly, add a layer of clothing, such as a sweatshirt and some sweatpants. When you keep the heat unnecessarily high you use far more energy than you need to–and that is expensive!
Switch to a low-flow water-saving toilet. Estimates show that 50% of water used in a home is to flush the toilet. Older models used 5 or more gallons of water to flush; today’s water saving models uses a little over 1.5 gallons per flush. That is a 70 percent water savings.
If you need to buy a wooden item, see if it is available in bamboo. Bamboo, which is actually a grass, is very energy-efficient. It is also quite strong compared to woods commonly used to build furniture. It replenishes itself rapidly, unlike most woods, and can be used for flooring, furniture and nearly any other wood product. This saves energy on both the production and reclamation ends of the manufacturing process.
Now that you know some tips for saving energy, you will begin to see the benefits to you. Green energy is also an environmental benefit, which is good for everyone. Once you use these tips, being green will seem like a piece of cake.
