Looking For Ways To Go Green? Check Out These Ideas?

Looking For Ways To Go Green? Check Out These Ideas?

The popularity of “going green,” or living a more sustainable and environmentally friendly lifestyle, continues to increase. If you have been interested in incorporating greener habits into your life, but have not been sure how to do so, the following advice can help. With these tips, you will find it easy to “go green!”

One effective way to use less energy in your home is by choosing appliances that meet the government’s Energy Star standards. This means that these devices have been certified as being particularly energy-efficient. Over the life of the appliance, you may save hundreds of dollars because they use so much less energy than other models. Using compact fluorescent or LED light bulbs will also reduce your energy usage. These bulbs produce the same amount of light as a standard incandescent model while using many fewer watts.

You may not realize that many of your electrical appliances continue to use energy even when they are not in use. Just turning off an appliance is often not enough. To remove this phantom load from your home, try unplugging your TVs, computers, stereos and other devices when you are not using them. Check your electric bill after a month or so of doing this to see how much you are saving!

If you are really serious about lowering your energy bills, it may be time to start thinking about producing your own power. The easiest way of doing so for most homeowners is by investigating solar panels. While these can be quite expensive, the good news is that there are many grants available from the government and other organizations that can help offset much or all of the cost of the panels and the installation. If you produce enough electricity with your panels, you may even be able to sell some back to your local utility company.

If your home’s insulation has not been updated in a while, you may be wasting a lot of energy in heating and cooling your home. Your furnace and air conditioner will have to work a lot harder to keep your home comfortable if you have insufficient insulation. It is also a good idea to check for leaks or drafty spots in your home, especially around your doors and windows. A blower door test can be performed to help you locate any trouble spots around the house.

One simple way to save some money and keep dangerous waste out of landfills is by using rechargeable batteries, rather than disposable ones. While you will have to pay for the electricity used to recharge these, this will, in the long run, be cheaper than just buying a new pack of batteries every time you need one.

With these tips, anyone can start leading a greener lifestyle right away. You may be pleasantly surprised at just how easy it can be to switch to a more sustainable way of life. You can help protect the environment as well as save yourself some money by reducing the amount of energy you use in your home. There are always new ideas you can use, so keep learning more about living green!