Pollution; it is the evil that we release upon our planet every day, as we power our cars, homes, and businesses. If you are one of those who sees the need to pull away from traditional forms of energy and look for cleaner, renewable sources of energy, this article should be helpful to you.
Start small. Even if you don’t have the resources for a large-scale green energy project, there are still steps you can take. For example, solar chargers for small electronics generally only require the device to be set near a window for a few hours. Don’t underestimate the power of a small step.
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.
Pay attention to the thermostat in your home. Installing a programmable thermostat makes it easier for you to track the temperature in your house, and turn the heat down when you aren’t at home. Between 1 and 3 percent of your energy costs can be cut for each degree you turn it down!
Take advantage of the sun by installing solar panels on your roof. These panels will harvest the energy from the sun and convert it into usable power for your home. Most energy companies will purchase any excess power that is created. You will discover at the least, a reduction in your power bill each month.
For green energy use, always recycle your aluminum cans. The energy saved by just recycling one single aluminum can is enough to power a television for three hours. If everyone just recycled their aluminum cans, there would be more energy available for us to use for our everyday use and less energy wasted.
Create reminders for yourself in order to stay focused on your energy efficiency goals. Try to check your utility bill occasionally in order to see the progress you are making. Just being conscious of the energy that you use will help you reduce them significantly. You can make the effort to reduce water and power consumption, and it will likely become a habit.
One very basic method of using renewable green energy in your home is the use of solar power to dry your clothes. That is, hang your wet laundry out on a clothesline. The amount of energy saved by not using a dryer is considerable, and it also gets you outside in the nice weather.
Develop the habit of shutting off your computer before you leave your home for several hours and before you go to sleep each day to make your home a greener one. Also, set your computer’s sleep mode to activate when it is idle for five minutes. If you faithfully practice these two simple acts on a daily basis, you can decrease the energy usage of your computer by 85%.
One simple way to spot energy-efficient appliances is to check for an ENERGY STAR logo. The guidelines that ENERGY STAR appliances must meet are set by the U.S. Department of Energy plus the EPA. In addition to this, only ENERGY STAR appliances can be used for tax rebates.
More and more people are becoming aware of the need for a shift from traditional, polluting energy to renewable, clean, green energy. Hopefully, some of the thoughts and ideas mentioned in this article should help you as you learn more about green energy. We all have a responsibility to take care of our world, and finding better energy sources is key to fulfilling that responsibility.
