Reduce Your Carbon Footprint With These Tips
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Filed under Green Energy
Using water, wind, and sun to produce energy can dramatically reduce the costs of running a home, and creates great results in the environment, as well. If you would like to know more about the ways you can put green energy to work in your home, read on for some valuable advice and interesting tips.
When designing outdoor lighting for your patio or garden path, consider solar-powered lamps. Not only are these lamps cheap, but they only need power from the sun. This will save a lot of energy. It will also save you money by not having to wire the outdoor lights to your home.
Save Energy
A simple way to save energy is to close the curtains. Keep blinds closed and curtains drawn. When you use these two things in tandem, you will find your heating and cooling bills will plummet. By blocking the sun’s rays, you will save energy and money.
Try wearing natural fabrics in the summer as opposed to using the air conditioner. Fabrics, such as cotton, draw moisture naturally from the skin, making it cooler. Lighter colors also make you feel cooler.
There are grants that can help you invest in green energy. Contact local government and discover the programs that exist locally. For instance, you might find that installation of wind or solar structures is free, or you might see a tax benefit by installing a tankless water heater.
Be a better consumer of energy, and cut your home energy usage by unplugging your electronic chargers when they are not in use. Charging devices for several common types of electronics, including laptops, cell phones, and MP3 players all draw “phantom power” if you keep them plugged in while they are idle.
Are you living on a farm? If you do, then you probably own property. This might be an opportunity to rent a portion of that property to a company that will build a wind turbine on it. You will reap the benefits of this energy and the space needed is minimal.
If you heat your home with fuel oil, inquire about switching over to biodiesel. A lot of times this can be done with minimal modifications to your existing system. Biodiesel is great because it is more efficient and produces less pollution that standard oil, which will reduce your carbon footprint.
Check what other energy sources are available in your neighborhood. Checking the costs of running a home with utilities should also include recent legislation about energy costs. You might be able to save money by switching to well water or natural gas heat.
If you want to have hot water, but at a lower cost, then check into solar energy. Get a solar hot-water system. There are direct circulation systems and also direct ones. Indirect systems are the best if you have frozen pipes during the winter.
Maintain your refrigerator well. Refrigerators use a large amount of energy, so they should be taken care of to work their best. Make sure you clean out any dust from around heating coils. It’s important to check that the seal is tight and clean around the refrigerator door.
Getting started on green energy today means savings to you and the planet tomorrow. As was demonstrated in the article, green living isn’t that tough or complex. So, use this article’s advice and energy efficiency is just around the corner.