If you haven’t taken the opportunity to introduce green energy into your life, you are missing out. Green energy is cheaper, safer, and cleaner than traditional sources of energy, and it can also save you money over time. Here are some really smart ways to start using green energy to your advantage.
For green energy use in your home, you should change all your incandescent bulbs to the new energy efficient fluorescent bulbs. Not only will you save a bundle on your energy bill, but you will help conserve energy for future generations and reduce your own impact on the power grid in your city.
A good way to save money is to only turn on your dishwasher when you have a full load ready to go. Avoid running the dishwasher when there isn’t a full load to run. You’ll be surprised at how many dishes a dishwasher can load. Place the dishes in your dishwasher so you can fit in as many dishes as possible.
Go green on your coffee break by bringing your own cup. If you usually order a Tall Latte at Starbucks, bring a tall re-usable coffee mug with you. Every time you ask your favorite coffee shop to mix your drink in your own cup, you are helping to green your environment.
Look into using recycled or rechargeable batteries for the items that require batteries. Disposable batteries cost a lot of money to produce and they also contain toxic chemicals which are bad for the environment. By switching to recycled or rechargeable batteries, you will be keeping these chemicals away from our environment.
Start using batteries that have been recycled or else use rechargeable batteries. Disposable batteries are full of toxins and actually take about half of the energy they put off, in order to produce. If you are using disposable batteries, be sure to recycle them. Rechargeable batteries, however, can be used over and over again.
If you are trying to achieve a greener lifestyle, there are many options for you. Start with the simplest methods, such as setting your heating thermostat to 60 degrees while you are away from home, and cleaning your furnace filters every few months. Lowering the temperature of the water heater to 120 degrees will save you money too. Each step you take, no matter how small, will count!
Appliances with the Energy Star certification bear a distinctive logo that makes them easy to identify. Any products that have the ENERGY STAR logo are in compliance with the U.S. Department of Energy and additionally the Environmental Protection Agency. In many cases, you won’t be able to get a tax rebate from any appliance that doesn’t feature these logos.
Look for and use built-in power settings on your computer, laptop and other electronics to reduce their power consumption. Try dimming the screen in dark rooms or trimming resource usage for undemanding tasks. These steps can minimize the amount of electricity your devices need to operate, which conserves energy and lowers your utility bills.
If you have a stream or creek on your property, you may want to look into using a micro hydro-power system as an energy alternative. The flow of water through a turbine will produce energy. Many times the amount of energy is not enough to fully power a home, but will offset the cost of your electric bill each month.
Now that you have gone through the tips in this article, make sure you use them. When you do, you will find that green living can be easy, and that green energy is, in many respects, preferred. Take action and start putting green energy into your life, as soon as today!