Due to the economic environment, green energy is getting less prominent than before. Not only is green energy a good way to preserve natural resources, but it can also save people tons of money. Continue reading to get some basic green energy tips.
If you are considering purchasing outdoor lighting look into solar lamps. This type of lamp is cost-effective and needs no power other than sunlight. This will save a lot of energy. It also means you don’t need to wire your outdoor lights.
Rather than using an air conditioner during the summer, wear clothes that are natural. Natural fibers like cotton can absorb moisture from your skin, helping you feel cooler. Light colors help you to feel cooler than darker or warmer colors.
Solar Panels
You could easily have solar panels in your house to collect energy from the sun for you to use. Consider some things before you do this, as you will benefit from the thought process. Think about how much sun your house typically gets. If your home does not get a lot of sunlight, then solar panels will be pretty useless.
If possible, use cold water in your clothes washer. Most of the energy used to wash clothes is actually used in heating up the water. As long as your detergent is good, cold water washing can be just as effective as warm water. It is also better to clean a full load, not smaller loads.
When planning a home solar system, calculate the potential energy generation of the system using hours of sunshine in the winter. That way you won’t run out of energy during winter months, and you will have more than enough in the summer. An even better benefit is that you can sell your energy back to the grid in the sunniest of times!
Take time out to properly inspect your refrigerator. Refrigerators take lots of energy to run, so it’s crucial to make sure it is running effectively. Be sure that you’re regularly cleaning the dust that builds up near the heating coils. Make sure door seals are clean and tight.
Replace your tank-style water heater with a green, tankless model. Tankless heaters still use electricity or gas to provide hot water, but they only heat the water you actually need. You can get a tankless water heater to heat your entire home’s water supply or you can get a smaller one that heats only water that comes out of a particular faucet.
Renewable Energy
Pay attention to local and federal rebates for renewable energy updates on your home. In a few cases, local utility companies tend to offer rebates for expenses associated to upgrades. 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.
Professionals can help to analyze your home and give you tips on making it more green. They can provide an estimate of how much money inefficient appliances and systems are costing you, and they can tell you what upgrading or replacing such systems will cost.
Switch as much of your correspondence as possible to email. Use paper as little as you can. This helps to lower the energy costs of businesses as they communicate, and you can save energy as well. Not to mention, it protects the environment for everyone.
Avoid cranking the heat in your home unless it’s absolutely necessary. Wear sweatpants and a sweater if you are chilly. When your heat is running it uses more energy than necessary.
A solar oven can be made to assist you in your baking needs. These can be made with readily available items like an old window, box, and piece of foil for reflection. These ovens reach temperatures greater than 300 degrees, while using no outside energy besides solar.
If you are someone who is seeking out ways to live green so you can help save the planet’s energy, there’s a lot you can do. You may not be able to spend a lot of money going green, but you can start by cleaning furnace filters each month and setting heat at 60 degrees when not at home. Keep the water heater temperature around 120 degrees and save energy costs. Even small steps that you take can add up to a big difference!
In order to cut down on fuel usage, you should consider using carpooling not only for work, but for other activities too. If you have children organize carpooling with other parents in your neighborhood. If you live near another family and friends, then synchronize your grocery shopping days and take turns being the driver.
In addition to saving you money, the advice from this article will help to protect the environment. If you put these ideas to use, you’ll find that using green energy is easy, efficient and heart-warming.
