There are so many different ways to use green energy in your home that you'll be shocked by how simple and cost-effective it can be. The point of this article is to arm you with the information needed to begin a lifestyle of being green in your energy consumption and save in the process.
Lower the heating costs of your water, hot tubs and pools by changing over to a heating system that is run by solar power. Heating water with natural gas or electricity is not that efficient, but with solar energy, water takes the suns energy and keeps temperatures steady. By doing certain upgrades to your home, you can often earn extra incentives and even cut backs on your energy bill.
Are you lucky enough to own a farm? You could rent a small portion of your property to an energy company willing to install a wind turbine. Your home and the surrounding residences will get some free power. Don't worry, wind turbines don't take up a lot of room.
If you use fuel oil to heat your home, speak with a technician to see if it's possible to change to bio-diesel. A lot of times this can be done with minimal modifications to your existing system. Biodiesel burns more cleanly and will improve your carbon footprint.
Discover all the different sources of energy in your community. Check the cost of running your home using these utilities, taking into consideration any recent legislation regarding energy costs. You might find that you could save money by switching from an electric furnace to a natural gas one, for instance, or from using municipal water to your own well water.
Instead of buying that new desktop computer, purchase a laptop, as desktops use much more electricity. That can reduce up to two-thirds of your power usage; that is especially true if you frequently use word processing or the internet. The laptop is also mobile, so you can take it with you everywhere.
Closely monitor how many watts you are using. Gadgets such as the Watt Minder or the Kill-A-Watt will help you find out which of your appliances are hogging energy. Plug your appliances into these devices and they can let you know how much energy they use in an hour, a month, or a year. This will show you the cost of your appliance.
If you want to "go green" and do your part to help save the environment, you have a lot of options. Going green doesn't mean you have to spend tons of money, as you can begin simply by setting the thermostat to 60 degrees for those periods when you are not home.
You can also conduct monthly cleanings of your furnace filters. Another money saving way to conserve energy is lowering the temperature of your water heater, under 120 degrees is best. Even the smallest amount of effort can help.
Check your utility bills against previous years' bills to see how you're doing in your efforts to go green. You should also write down your goals for energy efficiency and reminders to help you stay on track. Increasing your consciousness of your energy consumption can help you cut back. Your deliberate efforts to reduce your electricity or water consumption will have a significant impact on your ability to form habits out of turning off lights and shutting down appliances.
Although this may seem like common sense, many people still keep the lights, appliances and electronics on when they are not using them. If a person put this practice into action, he or she would save a huge amount on the electric bill. Resolve to turn off lights and equipment when you are not using them.
Use automatic motion detection sensors for lighting in your rooms. These sensors automatically shut off the lights to vacant rooms, which saves both energy and money. Remember to include the lights above the garage, as well.
In conclusion, you have now been equipped with several easy-to-implement ways to start using green energy. You will find more peace by using green energy, so begin to make the needed changes right away.
