Being green and earth-friendly is easier than one may think.
Not only are these tips beneficial to the environment, but they are also easy
on the wallet.
1. Change regular light bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs.
This is a very small change, but an important one. An ENERGY STAR qualified
compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) will save about $30 over its lifetime and
pay for itself in about six months. It also uses 75 percent less energy and
will last about 10 times longer than an incandescent bulb, so you're not only
saving energy but money, too.
2. Power down computers every night. This step is good for
your computer. Leaving computers on all the time shortens their lifetime due to
heat stress and mechanical wear.
3. Recycle what you can. This includes newspapers, aluminum,
glass and even plastic, motor oil, tires and old appliances. Obviously.com has
a good resource for exactly what can be recycled called Commonly Recycled
Materials.
4. Cut down on junk mail. The Direct Marketing Association
has an online free service that allows you to opt out of catalogs and junk
mail. Yellow Pages have an online service to cancel the phone book.
5. Use a programmable thermostat. Setting your thermostat
three to five degrees lower while you are asleep and when no one is at home
will lower your utilities bills and save energy. You can even adjust just one
degree lower and save resources. Regular maintenance of your heating and
cooling system can also be beneficial.
6. Make sure all unnecessary lights are turned off. Leaving
lights on is a huge drain on electricity. Always turn off the light whenever
you leave a room. You can even adjust your lighting habits during Christmas.
7. Turn down the thermostat on your hot water heater. Your
home only requires your hot water heater to be set at 120 degrees, but some
manufacturers have set their heaters to 140 degrees, a temperature that can be
scalding. Turning your hot water thermostat down 20 degrees can save you
between 6 to 10 percent in energy bills.
8. Unplug cell phone chargers when not in use. Even when
your phone isn't being charged, your charger is using electricity. There are an
estimated 190 million cell phones in use in the U.S. If all of their chargers
were constantly plugged in, it would generate more than 190 megawatts per day,
enough to power 100,000 homes.
9. Use eco-friendly cleaning products. There are many green
cleaning products for sale at supermarkets across the country, but you can also
make your own natural cleaning solutions using inexpensive household products
such as baking soda, ammonia and white vinegar.
10. Turn off water while brushing your teeth. The EPA claims
you can save eight gallons of water a day if everyone in your household turns
off the water while they brush their teeth in the morning and at night.
