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Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Helpful Tips for Going Green

How To Effectively Utilize Your Green Energy


It's important for everyone on the planet to help take care of our environment. One way to do this is to adopt a green energy lifestyle, with an eye towards less waste and greater energy efficiency in your home. But how exactly do you do that? Here are some ideas that will get you thinking about the steps you should be taking.

Try setting the air conditioning to run just one degree Celsius warmer during the summer and one degree Celsius cooler during the winter. You will not even notice this difference in temperature, and you'll save a lot of money and energy. In addition, the amount of carbon being used will decrease by around 14%.

If it is holiday time, you might want to consider throwing out your old bulbs and replacing them with new energy efficient LED lights for your tree and your home. These lights use 90 percent less energy than the old style lights and will save you money during the holiday season.

Responsibly recycling electronics is a great way to maximize resources. When people think of green energy they think of alternative energy. However, it is just as important to get the most from the non-renewable resources that we use as it is to minimize our use. Recycling electronics prevents unnecessary polluting of landfills as well as reuses resources that non-renewable.

Try using programmable thermostats to save energy inside your home. These let you adjust the times when you can turn on your heater or air-conditioning according to the schedule you set up. As a result, you're not operating anything as much when you're not home, or when you're asleep.

Consider a geo-thermal hot water heater. A geo-thermal heater is buried deep into the ground and it will heat your water in much the same way that hot springs offer hot water. It is cost effective in that it uses only about half the amount of electricity as a traditional hot water heater.

Making changes to an existing home is very costly. If you want to start using green energies, you should think about moving or getting a new house built. Look for certain features such as running water or good exposure to the sun and wind when buying a new property or home.

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 for damage and replace the filter. A damaged exhaust fan uses more energy and changing the filter allows the fan to work more efficiently.

When trying to decide between purchasing a laptop or desktop computer, remember that the laptop is the greener option. Laptops use as little as one-tenth of the electricity needed to power a desktop, and they usually have easily adjustable power settings that allow you to trim your energy consumption even further.

Use water saving shower heads as a great way of saving water in your home. These shower heads have a design that helps to decrease the amount of water that comes out. Therefore, you do not have to cut your showers short in order to eliminate your water usage. Just install one of these, and watch your water bill decrease.

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.

Don't try to install a wind generator on a small piece of property. First of all, you'll likely get complaints from the neighbors, as an efficient wind turbine needs to be at least 30 feet off the ground. Secondly, you need about an acre of land in order to ensure an unobstructed prevailing wind.

Hybrid Vehicles


Hybrid vehicles are becoming a big trend these days. People don't necessarily want to go full electric but they want to make a contribution to helping the environment. This is why a lot of people are investing into hybrid vehicles as they get to help the environment while at the same time paying a lot less for gas.

Green energy is very important in the conservation of resources, a cleaner environment, and can help you save money. These suggestions should be helpful with incorporating a green energy philosophy into your daily lifestyle. As you can see, it's easier than you might think. Get your friends talking about these tips and help spread the word about green energy.

photo credit: Lionoche via photo pin cc

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