When you hear the term "green energy", you may be slightly confused. If you don't already know, green energy is, essentially, renewable energy that can be used with a minimal negative impact on the environment. Green energy can be used in various ways in the home, as this article will show you.
Talk to your electricity provider and see if they offer an alternative that allows your home to use green energy. Several companies are now using wind or solar power for their electricity, and you can take advantage of this! Call your provider today to find out if you can switch to green energy.
If you are thinking about switching to solar power, do your research first. Some towns have restrictions regarding the number of collectors they allow. To bypass these limitations, think about getting your neighbors to join you and get a solar power unit that would provide power for a small group of homes.
If your exhaust fans are more than five years old, consider replacing them with newer more efficient models. Each year you should examine each exhaust fan in your home http://my-led-lighting-guide.tumblr.com/post/146084691593/converting-your-parking-lot-lights-to-led for damage and replace the filter. A damaged exhaust fan uses more energy and changing the filter allows the fan to work more efficiently.
Support your local green energy providers by purchasing energy from them. You can check online to see if any of your local energy providers sell wind, hydro, or solar energy. By switching from the standard energy, you will send a message to your provider; you prefer cleaner energy. You will also be support the development of green energy in your area.
Try using cold water in the washing machine whenever it is possible. 90% of the energy used by washing machines is for heating up water. Because of this, using warm water will just increase your monthly utility bill and decrease the amount of money you have at the end of the month.
Plant trees around your home. The trees will help provide shading for you home and therefore will help keep your home cooler in the hot summer months. It will not require as much air conditioning to keep it at your desired temperature. Since trees lose leaves in the winter, they will still allow the sun to come in and help heat your home during the winter months.
If you have a car with a diesel engine, think about switching to biodiesel. Biodiesel is degradable is will not have any harmful effects on the environment. However, using biodiesel can be expensive and finding filling stations is hard. If you can afford to use this alternative, do your best to reduce harmful emanations from diesel engines.
Replace your furnace with one that has the Energy Star seal on it. You can save 15 to 20 percent on your month energy costs if you purchase a highly efficient furnace. You can even get a federal tax credit that will help cover the cost of your new furnace!
Try sealing gaps underneath your doors and windows during the summer and winter. This can prevent the warm or cool air from outside from entering your home, which will help keep your home at a good temperature all year. You could also try putting in rugs to provide more insulation to your floorboards.
If you are still using a more traditional source of energy, invest in a programmable thermostat. This will let you pre-set your temperatures for both day and night times. This leads to savings in both money and energy as during the night many people allow their homes to cool down via the natural decrease in temperature.
A great way to go green is to replace your regular light bulbs with compact fluorescent http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/ lights or LED's. These light bulbs use about one fifth of the energy as regular light bulbs but can last up to twelve times longer. They also don't generate as much heat so they are particularly useful in the summer months.
Upgrading the windows on your home can go a long way with saving your money on energy costs. If you do not have energy efficient windows on your home, you could be paying an extra ten to twenty-five percent on your energy bill each and every month. Think about what kind of difference that could make if you upgrade your windows in conjunction with other energy-saving steps.
Keep passive solar energy in mind when building or remodeling a home. Passive solar homes collect sunlight through specially-designed roofs, walls, windows, and flooring. Passive solar energy ranges from having windows angled to collect southern sun exposure to homes that are heated entirely with the use of the sun.
If at all possible, consider switching your electric or oil heating to gas. This is both better for the environment and your pockets. Just be aware that this is can be a complicated job that should be taken on by a skilled expert, should you decide to make this switch.
There are a few different ways to reduce your energy consumption when doing laundry. Start by using the moisture control setting that turns the dryer off when laundry is dry. If your dryer has a higher spin speed, utilize this feature to cut drying time. Always make sure that the dryer filters are clean and that there are no clogs in the vent.
If you are building a home, consider the placement of your windows carefully. If you place windows in the right areas of a home, they can act as a passive solar energy collector. This means that your windows can help you keep your home cooler in the summer, and warmer in the window. You will reduce your electric bill and your dependence on traditional energy sources.
Many people believe that turning certain equipment and appliances off or unplugging them shortens the life of the said equipment and appliances. This is not true. This myth dates back to older computers, and many people carry this belief system into the current day. Turning appliances and equipment off or unplugging them cuts down on energy costs immensely and does not hurt the machinery at all.
Green technology is a growing trend amongst a lot of people in first world countries. A lot of people are realizing at just how much we as humans are effecting the environment, yet they are also realizing at just how much we can contribute and help. There are many ways you can aid the environment from doing things like buying an electric car, changing the light bulbs in your house, or investing in solar panels for your home.
As this article has previously discussed, it is clear that green energy and environmental efficiency are of greater importance today than ever before. If you are aware of the alternatives and solutions out there, living a green life is much easier than you think. Apply this article's advice and you can live a green lifestyle too.
