If you’re committed to going green, but are not in the market for expensive new technologies or products, consider the tips below that can support your green lifestyle and actually save you money.
Consider joining your public library instead of purchasing paperback books in order to reduce the amount of paper used for books. Even if you don’t have an electronic reader the library offers you an opportunity to help the environment one book at a time. If you enjoy owning your books consider going to thrift stores or used booksellers for your book purchases.
Pay attention to the weather report and decide to eat a meal outside or have a picnic instead of staying indoors with lights burning. Regardless of the bulbs you use, turning off lights is more energy efficient than burning them.
Find radio stations you enjoy listening to if you keep the television on as background noise. Radios use less power than televisions and will provide you with the background noise you like while saving on your energy use and energy bill.
If you go to the grocery store frequently try to reduce the number of trips you make to the store by better organizing your shopping list in order to reduce your need to drive to the store. If you live near to a grocery store you can maintain your daily shopping routine by riding a bicycle or taking a walk instead of driving to the store.
Use night lights that plug into wall outlets and automatically go on when dark and off when it’s light outside in order to avoid turning on larger hall lights or bathroom lights for quick trips when it’s dark outside.
Leave a pitcher of water in the refrigerator to avoid having to let the water run to get a cold glass of water.
If you pre-cook your meals, allow them to cool before putting them into the refrigerator. Allowing the food to cool will prevent it from warming other foods in the refrigerator and possibly causing spoilage as well as reduce the need for your refrigerator to use more energy to stay cold.
Close your blinds or curtains during the heat of the day during the summer when you’re running your air conditioner to avoid excess heat from sun coming through windows.
Don’t grab a pile of laundry and throw it into the dryer, but instead shake out each item so that the item dries more efficiently and saves energy. You should also clean the lint trap each time you run your dryer. Check on clothing that is dry and remove it rather than waiting for the entire load to dry so that you don’t have dry clothes still drying.
Unplug your laptop, cell phone or other devices when they’re charged to reduce energy consumption. If you unplug your computer when charged it’s important to turn off the computer when it’s not in use because the computer will actually heat up more when unplugged than when plugged in and this can cause damage to your laptop.
Going green doesn’t have to be an expensive or overly dramatic change in lifestyle. Use the tips above to make your life greener and save money without making drastic changes in your lifestyle.
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