7 More Ways To Go Green And Better Your Life

Every time you turn on the news there is always a report about the earth and its climate change. With this in mind it seems as if everybody is looking for new ways to go green to not only help the Earth, but also to better their own lives and families. Going green is good for everyone!

Below are 10 simple ideas one can take advantage of to help reduce our impact on the environment and to save money at the same time.

1. Save energy and save money - Just by setting your thermostat two or three degrees lower in the winter and a couple in the summer can do wonders to help you save money on energy bills from heating and cooling. Not only this but it will reduce energy usage by a great amount.

In today’s day and age there are new energy saving light bulbs. Fluorescent light bulbs uses only a fraction of energy compared to its older counterpart but it also lasts longer and will save you a lot of money every year.

When you are not using certain appliances one should always unplug them. If this is too much of a hassle then there are “smart” power strips available for purchase which cuts off power usage to appliances that are currently not in use. Just remember appliances still use energy even if they are not actively being used.

When doing your laundry try to use cold water as much as possible. The majority of the energy used when machine washing clothes goes to warming up the water.

2. Save water and money -Perhaps one of the most simple ways to save water and money is to cut down the time spent in the shower. Not only will this reduce your water bill but it will reduce your energy bill as well.

Spend a few extra dollars on a low flow shower head. They do not cost all that much and in the end they will save water and energy resulting in a lower bill for you.

Install a faucet aerator on each and every faucet in your house. A faucet aerator will conserve heat and save water, while keeping water pressure as high as it should be.

3. Use less gas and use less money - The most obvious way to use less gas is to walk or bike to your destination whenever possible. This will save you money on gas, possibly parking costs, and help improve your cardiovascular health.

Consider the possibility to lobby your local government into spending money on sidewalks and bike lanes for the road. This will of course cost a little bit but will pay off in the end by bettering health, environment, and traffic.

4. Do not drink bottled water - Drinking bottled water not only generates a lot of plastic waste (which does not decompose I would like to add), but it is also a lot more expensive then drinking purified tap water. Buy a reusable drinking container if you are going someplace where you may need a drink such as the gym. That way you do not create more waste for the planet.

5. Shop around and think - Always look around before purchasing something. There are a lot of great resources out there such as Craigslist.com where one can buy second hand products that are in almost perfect shape. Not only that but they are often cheaper and sometimes even free.

Never drive by a garage sale or thrift shop. You never know what they may have. They may have exactly what you are looking for at a much lower price. This helps reduce waste and saves you money.

Also I would like to point out that you should never throw anything away that could be of some use to somebody else. There are a lot of places that take “junk” items such as Good Will. Not only will this reduce waste but you can also get a nice tax break at the end of the year for your donations.

6. Never throw away electronic devices - Try to use your cell phones, desktop computers, and mp3 players for as long as possible. There is no need to purchase the latest model of every new device when your old one works just fine.

When the time comes to get rid of an electronically device donate or recycle them Recycle them as needed when the time comes. Most electronic devices contains mercury and other toxic chemicals which adds on to the environmental harm.

7. Make cleaning materials - Most cleaning supplies can be hand made with common household items such as baking soda and lemon juice. There are a lot of online resources which will tell you how to do so. This will save a lot of money and reduce the amount of trash created.

As usual, stay tuned for more green tips that will help you make a greater environmental impact on this awesome planet of ours. If you have any additional tips, we’d love to see them below in the comments!

5 Extremely Simple Ways To Cut Home Energy Costs

So, you’re feeling the “green” spirit, and you want to do your part and save some money in the process? Well look no further, because below you’ll find 5 very simple ways to be more environmentally friendly, and put some extra cash back into your bank account at the same time. Saving energy is critical, as we get closer to 2009, and if you’re not doing your part yet, there is no better time to start - then now!

1. Prevent over-drying - Since living in an apartment building, I’ve taken many trips to the local laundry center and while I’m there, to kill the time, I’ve observed quite a bit. One that that I notice is people, in general, dry their clothes for wayyyy too long! Over-drying your clothes makes them more difficult to iron, not to mention, it wastes energy. Taking your clothes out of the dryer while they’re just a tad damp will make the ironing process easier, and you’ll save energy in the process!

2. Cold water wash - I know, I know - you couldn’t bear washing some of your clothes in cold water, because you’re under the impression that they won’t get as clean. Well, let me break it down for you. First of all, when you wash your clothes in warm or hot water, you’re wasting tons of energy very needlessly. Why? Well, in the past few years, there have been some amazing advancements in cold water detergents, and now we’re at the point where you don’t have to wash anything in hot water anymore. With the amount of quality cold water detergents available, it will clean anything you throw in there! Plus, washing in cold water saves the washer from having to heat the water, which saves you a significant amount of money in the long run.

3. Mr. Dishwasher can handle it! - What I mean is, a lot of people are under the impression that pre-rinsing dishes is necessary, and will make the dishwasher work less. This is not true, people! Consumer Reports even said that this can waste up to 20 gallons of water per day. With the new detergents out, which are enzyme based, they can handle just about anything you throw at them, all you need to do is remove excess food, and you’ll start saving on water right away!

4. Sleep mode - Did you know that leaving your computer on constantly is quite an energy drain? Granted, it’s not as bad as leaving a kitchen light on 24/7 or something else, but still, it’s a waste. Instead, just get in the habit of putting your PC into “sleep mode”, as it could cut electricity consumption by upwards of 80%!

5. Use the microwave - A lot of people still like to fire up the oven in order to heat up food. Did you know that using your handy dandy microwave saves about 80% of the energy an oven uses? The heat from an oven can be nice in the cold winter months, but during the summer, it puts an additional load on your A/C that forces it to work harder.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the 5 energy saving tips above, and these are just the first batch of many that will be coming in the future! As more and more clever people figure out how to efficiently save energy costs, it will benefit us all. So if you have an idea, by all means, leave it in the comment section below!