Go Green, Easy Energy Saving Tips For Your Home

These are six small changes to add to your daily routine which prove that without much effort at all you can go green!

Every little degree counts. By placing the thermostat one degree higher in the summer and one degree lower in winter, you will be saving energy and the temperature change won't be noticeable to you. If you feel a light draft in the air put on a sweater.

These shoes were made for walking. Next time you visit your neighbor's house, why not walk the two blocks instead of driving (especially with where gas prices are today).

Electrify your mind. Before leaving the house do a quick light check and make sure the lights are not left on wastefully. Also, ensure that you set your outside lights to come on only at sun down.

Let the sun shine in. You'll use much less electric light if you open the blinds and curtains during the day. If you live in an area that doesn't receive much sunlight, choose to buy compact fluorescent light bulbs.

Don't waste a drop. When brushing your teeth, don't let the water run consistently. Only turn it on when you wet your toothbrush and when you spit!

Be paper picky. You can choose what to use. Limit the amount of paper cups and paper plates you use, especially when you are at home and only use the type you can recycle. You can clean and be green by using recycled paper towels that are Green Seal Certified. You'll create less waste altogether if you use a fabric cloth or old sock when you are cleaning.

These six tips show that lowering your eco-footprint doesn't require huge steps!

Comments

[smartcookienyc]

Less Paper Towels --

One thing I've begun to do is to put old, unwearable clothes into use before tossing them. They can clean up spills, countertops, etc. even better than paper.

[mamacat]

I thought I had changed to CFL bulbs years ago. I went around the house, and found a few bulbs I had overlooked. A small thing, but what the hey.

When driving to a store or facility, don't drive around looking for the parking space closest to the entrance to the store. Just park the d@#n thing, and get out and walk a hundred yards to the store, if you have to. Save gas and get a little bit of excercise (for when the store is too far away to walk).

I remember when our Mom used to wash clothes out in the back yard on a scrub board, so, hanging them up to dry (in the garage) is ok by me.

If I ever buy another car, I think it will be one that gets at least 30 mpg or more. My Focus only gets 27.

Put a motion and light sensor on the outdoor lights that you don't need on all of the time. That way the switch can be on all of the time, but the light won't be.

Conserving water at home is OK, but pales in comparison to the amount of water used in agriculture. Ask your local government not to subsidise water usage for tropical foods like rice in arid climates.

I cut down fast-growing trees on my property myself, and then burn the wood in winter. They say it is carbon-neutral, and saves some money on the heating bill.

[Wilburrr]

CFL's aren't recommended for use with photo and motion detectors.

Paper plates? How about paper towels. They are virtually non-existent elsewhere in the world.

[Kasandra]

It's not that I don't appreciate the article but I've been reading the same dozen suggestions for the last ten years. Aren't there any newer ideas or slightly more advanced suggestions out there?

Here's one, you say to keep your shades open to use less light bulbs. Is that really smart? Doesn't that depend entirely on how warm it is outside? I find it keeps the house MUCH cooler to keep the windows and shades on the south and west side shut and drawn and leaving the north and east side windows open as long as the temperature outside is at or below the house temperature. To monitor this I keep an indoor and an outdoor thermometer near my normal seat. I'm seriously considering making curtain liners from those heat reflecting NASA type blankets. Has anyone tried this?

I need an article about moving past these simple things that frankly, everyone that reads the net probably either already does or already is aware of and yet I can't seem to find any next step type suggestions.

[Kasandra]

Oh here's another:

How about, give up air conditioning? I don't own one, I have ceiling fans, window fans and good windows. There are only a few days of the summer that I suffer at all. Another way to use less air conditioning.. lose weight! Yep I'm not kidding. I lost 100 lbs and went from miserable at 83 to miserable at 88. Those five degrees make a huge difference in when I'm uncomfortable especially considering I'm keeping the heat out of the house as much as possible. It does make me colder in the winter but I wear some of the new form fitting thermal undies around the house and that takes care of it. It really annoys me when I have a brown out on my fans knowing it's people keeping their houses at 68 degrees. How about instituting a high penalty for air conditioner usage and using that money to pay for greener energy?

[KillTheMessenger]

"I've been reading the same dozen suggestions for the last ten years. Aren't there any newer ideas or slightly more advanced suggestions out there?"

Nope. The laws of physics never change. These tips will be as valid or as invalid in ten thousand years as they are today.

You are absolutely right about the shades and the lights. On a hot day it is much better to close the shades and use a low powered light than to open the shades and run the AC all the time.

The next step type suggestions would be to replace old appliances, get a hybrid car or live completely without a car. They would be solar panels and... the really big issue... city planning for density and elimination of urban sprawl. Now, those are not things you can do all by yourself or that will take effect immediately. But city planning is 50% of the solution. Everything you can do at home will account for 10-20%, at best.

[maddie0001]

Here's the stuff you're looking for, http://www.warmcompany.com/wwpage.html

here's another nifty thing - http://www.flickr.com/photos/notmartha/sets/72057594068949613/ (hint, hint - use the swimming noodles from the dollar store instead of the pipe insulation shown)

You need to search the cheapskate pages, the green pages are filled with overpriced things to buy. Congratulations on the 100 pounds. I'm right with you on the ceiling fans.

[Kasandra]

Excellent! thanks a ton. :)

[dbadoug]

A good way to save energy is to not use your clothes dryer. Use a clothesline or rack and let your clothes dry via evaporation. That should save you at least $100 per year and save energy too.
On a recent trip to Europe I found clothes washers but no dryers anywhere other than self-serve laundries. The Europeans are far ahead of us in prioritizing energy usage!

[UnbiasView]

LOL

Try drying your clothes on a line in Minnesota

[shaman]

Also, please turn off your computer when not using it. Too many people leave it on all the time and that is a waste of energy.