If you’d like to help the environment and save some money on your energy bills, there’s no better way to do it than using green energy. Doing this won’t require you to purchase an electric car! Continue reading to learn some easy ways you can use more green energy, regardless of your budget.
One of the simplest ways to help save the environment is to use less energy. If you have appliances that are not in use, keep them unplugged until you need them. Make sure you turn off lights and electronic appliances when you do not plan on using them. This is a simple tip that can help you save money, too.
Solar Panels
Solar panels are an easy addition to your home that helps you and your family go green. However, before doing this, you need to consider a few things. You should definitely consider how much sun your home is exposed to. If you live in an area with a lot of shade, or worse, a lot of cloudy days, you’ll be unable to make full use of solar panels.
Become a better energy consumer, and save electricity in your home by unplugging chargers for your electronic devices when you are not using them. Unplug your electronic devices when they are not being used or fully charged. This wastes energy otherwise.
Do you own 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.
Wash clothing in cold water. Nearly 90% of the energy that is consumed when you wash your clothes is taken up heating the water. Just make sure you don’t harm your clothes in the process; check out the labels on your clothes and make a judgment for yourself. Don’t forget to wait until you have a full load of laundry to wash; that is the energy efficient way.
When not at home, use window coverings. This keeps the interior of your home cooler or warmer, depending on the season, and reduces your energy bill. Generally, the south-facing windows get the most sun because of their position. Cover all of these windows with curtains, blinds or roller shades.
Research the different energy sources available in your community. Investigate costs for using those utilities, and be aware of any legislation about energy costs. For instance, it might be worth it to switch to gas heat instead of electric, or switch to well water instead of municipal water.
If you clean your dishes using a dishwasher, don’t run it until it’s completely full. Regardless of how many dishes are inside, equal amounts of water and energy are used. Make use of the air drying, energy-saving option on your washer.
Keep your refrigerator in good condition. The refrigerator hogs energy, so it should work well. It is important to wipe off the dust from heating coils on a regular basis. It’s important to check that the seal is tight and clean around the refrigerator door.
Upgrading your water heater to a tankless style saves a lot of energy. Tankless water heaters do require energy for operation, but since they heat water on demand, power is not wasted by keeping a full tank hot 24/7. Tankless heaters come in various models that either supply a single faucet or the whole house with hot water.
Choose to get most of your correspondence via email. In other words, choose to go paperless in any way you can. This will not only help businesses lower their energy costs, but you as well. An added bonus is that everyone benefits by the protection of our environment.
See exactly how many watts of power you are using. Use gadgets like the Watt Minder and the Kill-A-Watt so that you can discover what uses the most energy. All you have to do is plug the appliance directly into the device so that it can calculate how much energy is being used per hour, month, or year. This will show you the cost of your appliance.
If you want to save energy, do the obvious, well-known thing: turn off lights every time you leave the room. You may be shocked by the amount of electricity you can save by starting this simple habit. You will also save on your electric bill.
Replace your old toilet with a water-saving one. Estimates show that 50% of water used in a home is to flush the toilet. Five gallons is the typical amount used by older models, while low-flow toilets consume about 1.6 gallons per flush.
The number of lights that are left on, or appliances that are run half full is astounding. If you do this every day, your energy bills will plummet. Raise your consciousness about your electricity use in order to save electricity and money. Don’t leave appliances or lights on that nobody is using.
Energy Star
An easy way to identify energy efficient appliances and products is to look for the ENERGY STAR logo. If the appliance has an ENERGY STAR, it means it meets guidelines established by the U.S. Department of Energy and the EPA. Additionally, they are generally more likely to have a tax rebate.
Using light bulbs that are energy-efficient, or cleaning your furnace filter, are great ways to save energy. Set the example for those around you, and you will see that they quickly follow suit once they see how simple it is to be green. Keep these tips in mind and use them often.