Transforming your home into an energy efficient one is a great way to help the environment, while saving you money at the same time. You don't have to buy an electric car to make this happen! This article has some great, simple ways to improve energy efficiency.
Use a solar-solar powered system https://www.nrdc.org/stories/global-warming-101 to heat water. Traditional gas and electricity are not that efficient, but solar-powered water heaters glean the sun's natural energy to maintain even temperatures. While many of these upgrades have high up-front costs, they may qualify for tax credits or other rebates.
If you are charging products within your home, use smart green ideas to conserve energy by unplugging these devices when you are done. Even when they are fully charged, these units still consume energy and cost you money. So unplug them when they are finished, and save some energy and money.
Use solar energy to provide hot water cheaply. Consider a solar water heater. There are both direct and indirect circulation options to choose from. Indirect systems are the best option for those who have frozen pipes during the winter.
Buy a box of Ziplock quart size baggies and use these to make your own snacks. Whether you enjoy a bit of trail mix, Chex Mix, or a tasty muffin, you can use this bag and wash it when you get home to use the next day. Keep your snacks green by washing and reusing these baggies for your snacks until they are too worn.
Heat your home with a pellet stove. Pellets are basically made of compressed sawdust: they burn without any emanation and are much easier to store and transport than a pile of wood. Before investing in a pellet stove, you should find a place where you can get affordable pellets first.
Don't throw away that coffee grinds- use them to fertilize your plants. Coffee grinds are rich in nitrogen so these make great, healthy plant food. Using coffee grinds as fertilizer keeps them out of the landfill, makes it unnecessary for you to purchase and use chemical plant food, and make your plants grow nicely, adding oxygen to the atmosphere.
Switch all of your home's light bulbs to more energy-efficient ones. Even though they may be more pricey than normal bulbs, they will save you money in the long run, by lowering your electricity bill. They not only produce more light than other bulbs, but they also last much longer.
Try switching to CFLs. The compact fluorescent bulbs tend to use about 75 percent less energy than the traditional incandescent bulbs do, plus they last around 10 times longer. They are pricier than the traditional bulbs, but it takes only a few months to make up for it in energy savings.
Purchase solar lights for your garden and outdoor walkways. These decorative lights are relatively inexpensive, and do not add to your electricity bill. During the day, these lights absorb power from the sun. At night, they light the area with the stored energy. These are a fantastic way to reduce your energy consumption while beautifying your yard.
A high-efficiency furnace becomes far less efficient with a clogged, dirty filter, so change your furnace filters often. This is especially important if you use tightly-woven pleated filters, because the HVAC system must work much harder to draw in air through its tiny openings. Most filters need to be changed or cleaned at least once every 3 months.
There are a great deal of products you can buy to increase the energy efficiency of your home. Some green products such as eco-friendly doors, windows, and double-glazed windows can help you save energy and run the home efficiently. When using these types of products you cut down on your heating and cooling costs.
If offered in your location, try to switch your electricity company http://e-rex.net/?11090067-trustworthy-tips-on-lighting-consulting-operation-marketing to a Green Power service provider. This is a great way to protect the environment and save you money. If you are unsure if you have one of these providers in your area, the Internet is great resource to find out.
If the time comes that you need a new toilet, purchase one that is energy efficient. A lot of water is wasted by constantly flushing, which has a negative impact on both your water bill and the environment. Many newer toilets have a flush feature that allows you to use less water.
A great way to garden green and efficiently use green energy is to xeriscape. This means plant native plants in your yard so that there is less maintenance and energy used on it. You will save by not using a lawn mower and you will not have to use energy on your sprinklers to water natural plants as often.
Stay in control of your energy consumption by getting a Bye Bye Standby device. This device is basically a motherboard into which you can plug in all your devices. You will be able to completely turn on and off any device that you are not using through this panel. It also gives you access to information about your power consumption.
If you are trying to save on your electricity bill, try to use your ceiling fan more in the summer. A ceiling fan can help to make any room feel about 10 degrees cooler, and it costs much less to run than an air conditioner does. You will be saving money and also using less electricity, meaning you're doing something great for the environment.
A tankless water heater is a great, "green" addition to any house. A tankless heater will heat your water at the source, meaning you aren't storing heated water in a tank until you need to use it. The hot water is available almost immediately. This is an energy efficient option that can be added to most any home.
So there you have it, green energy is not only great for us, but for the environment. The best thing about it is how relatively simple it is to use in any home. All you need to do is use the information presented here and your home can harness the power of green energy.
