Saving power, heat or water is made possible thanks to alternative sources of energy. With only a couple changes, and a few big changes, you will be able to reduce the carbon footprint you make, as well as save yourself come money. For some simple ideas, continue reading.
If you plan to purchase lighting for your deck or patio, you should give solar-powered lamps a try. This type of lamp is cost-effective and needs no power other than sunlight. This saves a lot of energy! It will also mean you can avoid installing underground wiring.
Natural Fabrics
Wear natural fabrics during the summer in order to avoid wasting energy on air conditioning. Natural fabrics, including cotton, cause moisture to move away from the body, which means it stays cooler. If you wear lighter colors, you will also feel cooler than if you wore black or another dark color.
Do you own a farm? If you own your farm property, you could allow an energy company to rent a small plot of your land, so they can install an energy-generating wind turbine. You could take advantage of the energy offered and the space requirements are minimal.
Wash clothing in cold water. Almost 90% of the energy you use when you do laundry is due to heating water. As long as the washing detergent you use is reliable, using cold water instead of hot water will wash your clothes just as well. Furthermore, remember to always wash a full load, as this is more energy efficient.
Don’t run the dishwasher unless it’s full in order to save energy and money. It is wasteful to run the dishwasher with just a few items inside. You might be surprised by the number of items that you can fit in your dishwasher. Think carefully about where you place each dish for optimal storage in the washer.
A good benchmark to use when determining how much power a new solar system is likely to generate is the number of hours of sunlight in the winter. This prevents any unanticipated effects from a winter months, and it keeps you ahead of the game for summer months. If you generate excess energy during the summer, with the right plan, your utility company will send you a check!
You can get rid of your old, tank style water heater and switch it out with a new, greener, tankless one. Tankless heaters require less energy to heat water, as they only heat it as needed. You can purchase tankless water heaters that are small enough to heat one faucet, or large enough to heat your entire house.
Try to communicate more via email. Live a paperless lifestyle whenever possible. This kills two birds with one stone: you save energy and encourage businesses with whom you correspond to do so, as well. You also help others by protecting the environment as well.
There are a lot of things you can do if you want reduce your environmental footprint on the planet. Even if you don’t have a ton of money, you can do simple things, like monthly cleaning of the filters in your furnace or lowering the thermostat to 60 degrees when you’re not going to be home. Setting your water heater’s temperature to a maximum 120 degrees will also save money. No change is too small.
Use LED lights for home and tree decorations at the holidays. A study conducted by the United States Department of Energy stated that Americans could collectively reduce their energy consumption by over 2 billion kW/h if they all changed over to LED lights. To put this in perspective, that amount of power could supply the energy needs of 200000 homes for a whole year. But for your own part, this is a great way to cut that power bill down.
Considering the purchase of a new boiler could save you money in the long run. Older boilers are not as energy efficient as new ones because people didn’t worry about the environment when they were made. They can reduce your energy bill and they don’t produce as much carbon dioxide.
Think about the ideas provided in this article, and try to come up with a way to implement them in your home. Your energy bills will go down and the good you are doing for your environment will increase. Even small changes can set you on a path toward a greener lifestyle.