Green energy technology is a popular buzzword today. Many people who have made the switch are saving a lot of money on their energy bills, and are taking an active role in saving the environment. Are they right? This article is full of tips you can use to make changes in your energy consumption.
Are you living on a farm? Farms are the perfect place to put a wind turbine. If you don’t have a farm, you might be able to rent from someone. Your home and the surrounding residences will get some free power. Don’t worry, wind turbines don’t take up a lot of room.
During the hot summer months, hang clothes outside rather than tossing them in the dryer. Your clothing will have a great smell from the sun. They’ll smell so much better than if you shoved them into a dryer! Additionally, you will have substantial savings on your utility bills every month that you dry clothes outside.
If you are planning a solar system for your home, be sure to calculate your potential energy production using the amount of sun to expect in the cloudiest month. This can prevent any nasty surprises during winter, and it can leave you ahead in the summer. If you generate excess energy during the summer, with the right plan, your utility company will send you a check!
Maintain your refrigerator. Since refrigerators are one of the high-consumption appliances, it’s crucial that you keep it running efficiently. Every week, check and see if dust has accumulated near the heating coils. If it has, take the time to remove it. Also, ensure that the door seals tightly and that it is clean.
Desktop Computers
Desktop computers require a lot of energy, so why not opt for a laptop? You can save a ton of electricity by using a laptop. Both the Internet and most word processing software packages use a lot of energy on desktop computers, so getting a laptop can really save money if you use these features. Since laptops are portable, you can use them anywhere.
Decide to receive your correspondence through email by opting out of receiving monthly statements. In other words, go paperless as much as possible. This helps businesses to save energy as well as consumers. You also help others by protecting the environment as well.
Use LED lights for home and tree decorations at the holidays. According to a study by the U.S. If everyone were to switch to LED lights, the country as a whole would save 2 billion kwh per year. That is the equivalent to the power it would take to run 200,000 homes for a year. Your holiday power bill will be smaller too!
If you are not in a room, do not keep the lights on. Shutting off your lights when you leave a room is a simple act, but it will surprise you by the amount of energy it saves. The money that you will save is an added bonus.
A simple way to start going green is to talk to your power company. Several light and utility companies provide tips and tools on their website to let you know the amount of energy you are using and wasting. They may also have programs to help you purchase energy efficient appliances and light bulbs.
In your most active rooms, you should put motion detection lights. They will turn off lights when people aren’t in the room. Also try this on your outdoor lights, so that they only turn on when there is someone there.
Try setting your heat at 61 degrees or less when you aren’t home, or when you have retired for the night. If you heat is set at 60, you are not using much energy. If you do this, you can cut down your energy usage and save money at the same time.
Installing Solar Panels
If you want to transform your home into a “green home,” the iconic way to do this is by installing solar panels. The initial cost of installing solar panels may seem significant, but consider the long term saving when calculating the final cost. Not only will the energy you generate take care of your electric bill, there may even be some left over to sell to your electric company.
If you want to save on your heat bill, you can start by heating the rooms separately. Get a system that heats the house from underneath the floors. This will let you monitor each area of your home, and control the temperature in each room. This is especially convenient and effective in larger homes.
Help keep the costs of green or renewable energy technologies lower by demanding them. Consumer demand helps increase environmental technologies. The more it is demanded, the more incentive manufacturers have to invest in creating more green products. It also works to encourage companies to change their practices.
In order to track your home energy use, get a monitoring device. These devices collect data about how much electricity your home is using, and provide an estimate of the next month’s bill based on this information. Research has shown that people who know exactly what they are using in energy will scale back their overall energy usage.
Collect rainwater to use to flush your toilet. Using rainwater will not only save you money, but will also help save the environment. Collecting rainwater is actually quite simple; simply place multiple glass jars outside when you know it is going to rain and close the lid once they have filled.
Green Energy
Now that you have read what this article has to say, what are your thoughts? Can you translate the benefits of green energy into your lifestyle? By using the tips that were in this article, you will be able to find out exactly how much your life improves be simply making a few changes. Implement these guidelines today and determine if green energy will work well for you.