December 21, 2024

Start Cutting Your Power Bill Now

November 5, 2014 by Leave a Comment

Since the cost of fossil fuels is only bound to rise in the coming years, you can be sure that your power bill is going to follow. If you want to keep every dollar you can, then you need to make sure that you start slashing your bill every chance you get. The following paragraphs have seven ideas you can use to do just this, all without sacrificing your standard of living.

Go shopping for new appliances! However, make sure that your new appliances are rated and certified as energy star compliant. If your current appliances are still functional, do not not just dispose of them. Sell them online or through a local auction or consignment shop. This will seriously offset the expense of your new units, which will then pay for themselves quickly in the reductions to your power bills.

Find any devices that will save water in your home and install them. This can range from sink faucets to new toilets. Many of the times you use water in your home, you can actually get your tasks done but with less actual volume of water. The savings to your water bill are not likely to be huge, but the less water you have to heat can mean a difference on your power bill.

Make sure that all the doors and windows in your home are properly insulated. These openings, even when shut, can draft heat out of your home in the winter and into your home during the summer. This just means more work for your air conditioning and heating. A one time expense of insulation can save you month after month.

Reconsider how you personally use energy. There might be areas where you can improve your habits. Do you leave things powered on when not in use? Get timers for all your sockets that automatically shut off the power to anything plugged in after a certain time. Also check your utility bill to see if power is cheaper in certain hours than others. These might the best times to do laundry.

Make use of solar energy in your home. Install solar water heating, and put solar powered lighting in your yard. Solar power is usable small-scale now, for everything from window fans to portable electronics chargers.

Make your new energy efficiency a family project. You can use this as an opportunity to teach your kids about everything from money to the environment. If you find ways to make it fun, you can know that you are not alone in your efforts.

Come up with a laundry schedule for the whole household. Instead of having individual members wash only what they need when they need it, make sure that the machine is full every time. Washing likes with likes is even better, as you can maximize cold water washing for clothes that can handle it.

It can be hard to cut back on your reliance on fuels for power and lifestyle. On the other hand, this article has presented you with a number of ideas that you can use to reduce your reliance on the world’s resources without impacting your quality of living.

Filed Under: Green Energy

Six Ways to Increase Your Green Energy Savings

October 24, 2014 by Leave a Comment

It is becoming easier and more affordable every day to “go green” in your home. With tons of companies turning to green methods of doing business, not only to save the environment but to strengthen their bottom line, it makes sense for homeowners to jump into this trend too. You’ll have more money in your pocket at the end of the year, and you’ll also have the satisfaction of knowing you’re doing something great for our planet.

As an added benefit, if you produce more energy than you use, sometimes you can sell your surplus “back to the grid”. This varies by area, so if this is an important factor to you, make sure you check before attempting to overproduce for your energy needs. Plus, you can usually expect to see a tax benefit for any green improvements you make. Check with your CPA.

Using the following methods of generating and conserving energy, you could be living life free of the grid, using your hard-earned money on something else other than high electricity bills.

1. Solar Panel Array. Consider installing an array of solar panels on your roof. This can be costly, and it might take a while to recoup your initial investment, but if you want to start small…

2. Solar Water Heater. Put a solar water heater in your home. The cost of a solar water heater is a fraction of the cost of a solar array, and you can usually recoup your investment fairly quickly.

3. Wind Turbines. Not everyone has the land to build the iconic monuments that spring to mind when someone mentions “wind turbine”, and the good news is that you don’t have to. There are smaller turbines that you can have installed on the roof of your house – great if you live in an area that frequently has windy days.

4. Start collecting rainwater. The initial investment cost for a rainwater harvesting system can be very affordable for those trying to go green on a budget. Rainwater can be used to water lawns and other landscaping, so it’s a very prudent investment for someone who wants to ensure their lawn care stays up-to-par in the face of water restrictions.

5. Insulate, insulate, insulate. This is by far the most important thing you can do to your home, and everyone should consider having a pro come out to evaluate your current insulation. Some homes lose enough efficiency due to poor insulation to where it would be as if the homeowner was opening the door and dumping $100 or more to the wind every month! Something else to consider along these lines are double-pane windows.

6. Make sure your current HVAC system has an Energy Star Rating. If you have an older HVAC unit, it might be time to consider replacing it with an energy-saving unit. You could see a drastic decrease in your energy use just by doing this one simple thing. The price tag might turn you off, but sometimes HVAC installers will offer deals in the off season (provided your unit lasts through the hot months!). While we’re on the topic, you should also consider adding a programmable thermostat when you upgrade your system to see even more savings.

With these tips, you’ll be on the path to green in no time. You’ll be saving money and you can rest assured you’re doing your part to conserve our limited resources and protecting our environment.

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Simple Ways You Can Save Energy Every Day

October 5, 2014 by Leave a Comment

In these harsh economic times, we all could use a little money saving advice. The various things you do around your home each and every day can add up to big waste or amazing savings; the following article will help you achieve the latter!

1. Adjust the temperatures. In the summer time, try cutting one degree off the air conditioner’s cooling settings and for winter months, lower it by two degrees. You can easily find ways of warming up in cold weather, such as with the use of a sweater or slippers, and the a/c loss should be negligible, so your comfort will not be compromised. The major difference you will notice, however, is in the money you will have to shell out.

2. Repair all leaking faucets. That drip-drip-drip is more than just annoying: it’s costing you plenty. Water is one of the most widely wasted resources there is, and clean forms of it are running out all over the planet. Save money and precious planetary resources by fixing your leaking taps. Look online for the easiest DIY ideas.

3. Drapes. In cold winter months, hang dark and heavy curtains that will keep warmth in. When it starts getting warmer outside, try white or light-colored curtains that reflect the incoming sunlight. No matter what your taste in home decorating, there is an accommodating style for weatherizing your curtains.

4. Turn things off when they are not in use. Spend a few bucks on a power-strip, plug everything in it centrally and flick it off when you leave the room. This will completely cut off the power drainage and can really add up over the course of a year.

5. Wash in cold, hang to dry. Unless a fabric specifically calls for the use of hot water, keep it cold or at least warm. The energy to heat the water really drains resources and your wallet. Since home dryers are just about the biggest drain on any home’s energy use, if at all possible put up a clothes line and use that instead. You will also appreciate the fresh outdoor scent.

6. Home insulation. This tip pays for itself in a single cold winter or sweltering summer. If your home isn’t losing the air you’ve spent money to cool or heat, you are able to maintain thermal stability and minimize waste. Insulation is something most people can do themselves too, making it that much more economical.

7. Run a full dishwasher only. These modern conveniences can utilize too much energy in many ways, depending on the model and your settings. Wait until the machine is completely full and flick on the energy-saving settings. If you don’t have a large family or live alone, wash them manually for optimum savings of money and resources.

Put the advice of this article to good use around your home immediately, to see a decrease in your next utility bill. Employ these tips permanently and your annual savings will be amazing, not to mention of great benefit to our environment.

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Simple Ways For Going Green

September 28, 2014 by Leave a Comment

It is very important to conserve as much energy as possible. If you aren’t doing everything in your power to conserve as much energy as you can then you aren’t doing all that you can to help the environment. From here on out you need to be conscious of all of your efforts to go green and to produce as sustainable of an environment as possible. This article is going to outline a lot of advice for you on what you need to do to go green; that way we can all live in as healthy of an environment as possible.

From here on out you don’t want to let your car idle anymore. If you don’t need to have your car on then don’t do it. You do not want to let your car idle for longer than three minutes. Just turn off your vehicle if you are waiting for someone or if the drive through is taking too long. You’ll help out the environment and save a little money on gas by doing this.

Shut off everything that you don’t use in your home. Even if you walk down the street to the store or are only gone for a short amount of time, turn off all lights and electronics in your home. You can still record your favorite TV shows with the TV off; remember that. You don’t have to keep everything on because this is just consuming too much electricity. Therefore you are going to also want to promote this idea to everyone in your home as well. Let them know that you are all consuming too much and that they should be a little more conscious of the amount of energy they consume throughout the day.

Look into different resources for using green energy. You can go green by using solar panels, wind energy, and hydroelectric energy. These are all great ways to go green, and they can help you save an insane amount of money in the future. Do a little research to see what is a viable option for you, and try your best to go as green as possible. This will help your life turn around, and you’ll be able to tell all of your friends and family how you were able to go green. They might even use some of the green energy methods that you are using for themselves.

Green energy is one of the best things that has sprung up in recent years. Make sure that you are doing all that you can to go as green as possible; that way you can get through life knowing you did your part to go green. If you don’t try and go green as much as possible then you might not only spend a lot more money than you should in the long run, but you’ll most likely be another contributor to an already bad environment. Hopefully this tips here stuck in your head, and you’ll do what is takes to go green.

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Simple Tips For Going Green

September 24, 2014 by Leave a Comment

Contrary to what you think about going green, there is a lot you can do in your life to make sure that you can start using green methods. If you have been thinking about applying different green methods in your life to live a more sustainable life, then now is the time more than ever. In this article you are going to figure out how to go green, and how to convert your life to a much better place. Go through the following tips to see what you can gain about how to use green energy in your life as much as possible.

Everyone can benefit from going green. Do not think that you can’t benefit from turning your home into a place that consumes less energy and resources. Try to look around your home and see how much you are consuming. Track down how long the lights are on in your home, how long you take in the shower, and how much non-renewable resources you consume on a regular basis. When you do this, you will have a good idea about how to limit the amount of resources that you waste in your life, and you will know what you need to do to reduce the amount of resources you use in your life for the future.

A good way to start going green is to limit the amount of power you consume in your home. Start turning off all of the lights in rooms that you aren’t in. Try and get dimmers all around your home so that you can just dim the lights instead of turning them on all the way. There are a lot of things you can do to reduce the amount of power you consume in your home, so try and figure out different ways to make sure that you aren’t unnecessarily consuming a lot more energy than you should be consuming every day.

If you are serious about going green, then you are going to want to invest into some solar panels. This is the best and most affordable way to significantly reduce the amount of energy you consume. Solar panels are now coming with very affordable payment plans, so you are going to want to try your best to reduce the amount of energy you consume in your household by investing into solar panels. With payment plans that almost anyone can afford, you are going to want to take a look into solar panels.

There is always new technology coming out that is helping people go green, so do some research. You want to keep up-to-date with what the latest there is to know about going green. If you are always up-to-date with the latest information about going green, then you will have an easy time figuring out how to change your life to go green as much as possible.

Going green is a lifestyle that everyone can benefit from. Not only do you help out the environment, but in the long run you help save a lot of money in the process. It is wise to choose to go green, that way you can know you are doing your part to help this world.

Filed Under: Green Energy

Simple Steps To Green Living In Your Home

September 7, 2014 by Leave a Comment

More and more people are becoming aware of the importance of conserving energy. The type of energy that is used traditionally come from gas and oil. These resources are finite, and unless steps be taken to conserve, these resources will run out in future generations. Businesses are beginning to make themselves more accountable to conservation and responsible energy usage. Solar panels are being put up everywhere to make the most out of the power from the sun.

People can do their part as individuals. If everyone does his part in conserving energy, a real difference can be made in the environment. Here are some suggestions on how you can start making a difference in your own home.

Your car uses a lot of fuel. Gasoline is one of those resources that will not last forever. Make an effort to reduce the amount of driving that you do regularly. When your car needs to remain stationary for a while because you have to wait, do not let your car idle, but turn off the engine instead. If you do this everyday, the amount of energy you save can add up to a significant amount. Not only will you be saving the environment, but you will be saving money in using less fuel.

The electronic equipment that you operate around the house all use energy. When you leave them on, energy is being wasted. Make it a habit to turn off your electronic equipment when you are not using them. This would include your television, DVD player, sound equipment, and whatever you have connected to your entertainment center. Power off your computer and your peripherals as well, instead of letting go into “sleep” mode. When your computer is in “sleep” mode, a bit of energy is still being used; so, shut them down completely.

Adjust your heat thermostat so it is lower by one or two degrees. You probably will not feel a significant difference with this small adjustment, but the energy that you save by not heating up your home one more degree can really add up. It will save you money on your utility bills as well.

Consider washing your clothes in cold water. Unless you have heavily soiled clothing, washing in cold water will get your clothes just as clean as washing them in warm or hot. In fact, washing clothes in cold water may help your clothes preserve more of its color. There are detergents that are specially formulated to work best in cold water, so consider getting some of that.

Reduce the paper in your household and opt for paying your bills online. Many businesses offer the option of offering your statements online versus sending you a paper copy to your home. You should take advantage of this option. It will cut down on paper waste and clutter in your home.

Everyone can do something in his own corner to save energy. It does not take a lot of sacrifice. Try some of these ideas at home, and you will feel good about doing your part in the environment.

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Simple Steps To Going Green You Can Do Today

August 20, 2014 by Leave a Comment

If the idea of preserving the planet’s resources and abundance for the generations of humanity that follow you is something you hold as an ideal, then going green in any way you can is how you convert your belief into action. Each and every minor action or choice you make on a daily basis adds up over time. Read on into the following paragraphs for small steps you can start taking today that go green.

Never let your car idle. If you are driving somewhere, but stuck for a few minutes in one spot, consider shutting down your car. Idling cars still burn gas just to keep the engine going. This might not make sense at standard stoplights, but if there is a wreck that has stopped traffic, a train passing in front of you or you are just sitting waiting for someone, do not idle. A decade or two ago, cars would use so much fuel at ignition that idling for a few minutes made sense. However, with the fuel efficiency of today’s cars, it is actually less gas to shut down and then start back up.

When you go to bed, make sure that your computer or laptop is already asleep. These draw power all the time that they are on, so unless you have your computer running a task or program that needs accomplishing, give it a rest while you rest. Otherwise, you are just using electricity probably generated by a fossil fuel, just to run a device you are not going to possibly use while you are unconscious.

Contact your local power utility company. See what they can do to help you go green. They might be able to make sure that your home is powered only by green energy sources. They may also have programs you can take advantage of to make your home more green, such as helping you switch to more energy efficient lighting.

Adjust your thermostat a few degrees away from room temperature. While this is widely considered to be 72 degrees Fahrenheit, you might find yourself just fine at 75 in the summer and 68 in the winter. Those extra few degrees can save your environmental system a lot of strain for no benefit.

Wash your laundry using the cold water options on your washing machine. There are three benefits here. First, your clothes will not shrink in the dryer. Second, you are not wasting energy heating water when cold water can clean just as well. Third, cold water drys faster so you will use less energy in your dryer. Of course, you can just air dry to really go green.

Try and make your life paperless. Go online to the website for the Direct Marketing Association and you can stop junk mail from coming to your snail mail box. Then, enable paperless options with every company that bills you monthly and pay all of them online. The amount of paper this can save over one year is astounding.

You can save massive amounts of the Earth’s energy and resources in small simple steps. This article has given you ideas you can use to start doing this wherever you are in your day or week. Keep all these ideas in mind to start conserving what this planet has to offer to those yet to live on it.

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Seven Super Simple Ways to Go Green Right Now

August 13, 2014 by Leave a Comment

Seven Super Simple Ways to Go Green Right Now

Going green doesn’t mean you have to completely cover your roof in solar panels or pepper your property with gigantic wind turbines. You don’t have to break the bank to go green, and sometimes, you don’t even have to open your wallet! Here are seven tips that are cheap and easy that will have you going green quickly.

1. Make sure your house is well insulated. A house can lose a lot of its energy through poor insulation, and this is just throwing money away! You can hire a pro to come out and diagnose where you are losing the most energy, or you can simply make sure that you are timely when replacing your attic insulation. Also, make sure that your doors and windows are properly weather stripped so that you aren’t losing energy through any cracks. A place people forget to insulate is outlets, and you can buy outlet insulators that are cheap and easy to install. One last thing to consider is getting double-paned windows installed to further insulate your home.

2. Focus on buying renewable materials. For instance, if you’re considering wood floors in your home, why not consider bamboo? It’s easily renewable versus traditional hardwoods, and it brings a bright, cheery color to your flooring. Another renewable material that you are probably aware of are biofuels. Fill up your tank at a gas station that offers ethanol in their gasoline and you’ll be doing your part to use more renewable materials.

3. Make more green and energy efficient choices in your home. By using energy-saving light bulbs, installing a programmable thermostat, and using solar chargers to charge your small electronics, you can expect to see a huge savings in your electric bill.

4. Find a utility company that offers green energy. More and more providers are offering plans that incorporate green energy into the mix. Ask your provider if they offer a green energy plan and ask what percentage of the electricity you get is green. Some smaller companies have gone all-green. Check your area for these gems and you can be sure that going green will be super easy because the utility company is doing most of the work!

5. Get rid of your old appliances and get Energy Star rated ones. You can wait until they break down, or you can sell your old appliances and put that money towards getting new ones that are Energy Star rated. Some examples of appliances you can find Energy Star rated are: refrigerators, washers, dryers, dishwashers, HVAC systems, televisions, and more.

6. Speaking of washers, set them to cold. Setting your washer to wash on the cold setting could save you a nice bit of change. There are even detergents you can now buy that are formulated for use in cold water. To add to the savings, try line drying your clothes on nice days rather than tossing them in the dryer.

7. Power down for the night. Make it a habit to turn off everything electrical in your house before you bed down for the night. This should always include your computer. You’ll be surprised at how much money you’ll save following this simple advice. Also be aware of “phantom loads” –devices that pull energy even when they’re turned off– and consider investing in a “smart” power strip that will shut off these devices from your electricity when not in use.

As you can see, it’s an easy matter to go green, even if you are making simple every day choices. It doesn’t have to cost a lot of money or take a lot of your time to help the planet.

Filed Under: Green Energy Tagged With: ,

Saving Money By Going Green For Those On Budgets

August 11, 2014 by Leave a Comment

Going green isn’t something that only rich folks can afford; anyone can do it! This article will help you to find out how you can help out the environment without spending a bunch of money. All you have to do now is read on to figure out what you can start doing today to make tomorrow better.

Figure out how you’re able to recycle whatever you can at your house. Get bins for plastics, glass and paper. Ask your trash company if you can set these by the curb for recycling or take them in yourself. Any kinds of aluminum cans usually can bring in some money, so be sure you collect those too. Talk to the recycling place to see what they accept on the phone before you go all the way out there. Generally anything you’re going to recycle has to be empty, so no full cans of soda or food.

Energy efficient light bulbs can save you a lot of money after time. They may cost more than regular light bulbs, but they do last longer and use less electricity. You’ll start noticing savings, and they far outweigh how much these bulbs cost you. With technology becoming more and more advanced, don’t be surprised to find these becoming more common and cheaper in the future.

A clothes line is a great way to save a lot of energy. A dryer costs a lot of money to run. If the weather is nice outside, then you can save some electricity and hang your clothes up outside. Just remember that your clothes are out there and don’t leave them up for too long just in case bad weather rolls in. You can hang them up inside if you have the space.

Some energy companies will actually take some money off of your bill, or even pay you, if you create energy and give them the extra. Installing solar panels or generating energy some other way is a great place to start. Even if the company doesn’t offer an incentive, you’ll save quite a bit of money on your bills. After a few months you’ll notice that making your own energy is paying for itself and then some.

Make sure your windows are properly insulated. New windows don’t cost too much and should be considered if you’re wanting to save money in the long run. If there is any kind of breeze coming through your windows when they are closed, then it’s probably time to upgrade them. Check windows on doors and even spaces around the doors too. Properly insulating these things saves a lot of money in heating and cooling costs.

Making a positive impact on the environment around you is easy if you take the advice in this article and practice it in your life. You’ll also be sure that you had a hand in making the future better for whoever comes after you. Use these things to live a greener life, and continue to do whatever you can. It all starts with you!

Filed Under: Green Energy

Resources For Green Energy

July 24, 2014 by Leave a Comment

There are a lot of things that you can do to reduce the amount of energy that you consume on a regular basis. If you don’t start making changes to your life right now, then you might never find a way to help out the environment and to go green. Lucky for you this article was created to help people like you figure out different ways to use green energy. There are a lot of resources at your disposal, you just have to know about them. Go through this article to see what you can learn about different green resources to use.

Solar panels are the first thing that you are going to want to divert your attention towards. This is because solar panels can convert the amount of power you consume down to zero. What is great about solar panels is that they are now coming in very affordable prices these days. You can find a lot of affordable prices and payment plans with solar panels these days, so it is wise to make a little investment into these so that you can reduce the amount of energy you consume down to nothing. All you have to worry about is the sun giving your solar panels enough energy to power your home, which they always do.

There is still a lot of promise in wind energy. Wind power is still a popular thing these days, and it is great to use it to power your home. Consider investing time and money into wind power devices that will help your home stay powered. You have to have a little bit of extra space in your yard to invest into wind power, but it will benefit you in the long run. All you need are a few wind devices and you are set to have a good amount of energy flowing through your home. The only downfall to this is if you don’t regularly get wind in your area, you aren’t going to be fueling your home with a lot of wind power.

There is a lot of interest in hydroelectric power and micro-dams these days. Check with your local city hall and government offices to see if they are offering any type of programs for your area. You’d be surprised at how many people are investing time and energy into hydroelectric dams these day.

When you decide to convert your home green, it is for the better. Try your best to at least use one of the options presented so that you can live a more sustainable life. Go ahead and promote what you learned today so that you know you are doing everything in your power to help people live as sustainable lives as they can live as well. Hopefully we can all rally our efforts together and produce a world that is very sustainable. There is no reason why you can’t apply at least one of the methods presented today to help your home become a more sustainable place to live.

Filed Under: Green Energy
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