The Earth needs our help to keep it healthy, and green energy is one great way we can help this process along. There are a wide variety of green energy technologies available that provide power from sustainable resources. What can you do to incorporate green energy in your life? Continue reading and you just might find out.
The government has made grants for investing in renewable energy available to the public. Do some research with your local authorities and ascertain if they run any types of programs within your district. For example you may be able to qualify for a grant for the installation of solar or wind powered technologies.
Are you the owner of a farm? If you have a lot of land, energy companies will pay you for the right to set up a wind turbine on it. You and those around you can benefit from the free energy. A turbine doesn’t take up much space, either.
Replace and clean furnace filters yearly, and check them monthly. Warm-air registers should also have filters installed on them. This will help keep debris or dirt from clogging vents and reducing their overall efficiency.
If you heat your home with fuel, talk to a technician about using biodiesel. Depending on your system, you may be able to switch to biodiesel without having to make any modifications to your system. Biodiesel burns more cleanly and will improve your carbon footprint.
Don’t run the dishwasher unless it is filled to capacity. The dishwasher uses the same energy when full that it uses when empty, but you’ll have to run it less often. Using the air-dry setting will save energy when you run the dishwasher.
When you plan a solar system for your home, try calculating what the energy generation of your system will be when you use hours worth of sun in the winter. This prevents unpleasant surprises in the winter, and it saves money during the summer. If your electric company bills on net usage, you will actually make money because yu generate more power than you consume.
Passive Solar
Take the time to learn about active, and passive solar power. Passive solar systems are less expensive but cannot store energy like active solar systems do. Active solar power requires a lot of involvement in the form of installation, mechanics, and power cells. Passive systems use the sun’s rays to store energy withing the walls of your home and are significantly cheaper.
Choose a laptop instead of a desktop PC to save energy. Laptops use about 75% less electricity than desktops, especially if the desktop is being used for the Internet or software programs. Plus you can take your laptop anywhere.
Switch as much of your correspondence as possible to email. In other words, go paperless as much as possible. This will help the businesses you deal with cut down on energy costs, and it will also save you a lot of money on energy costs too. An added bonus is that everyone benefits by the protection of our environment.
If you would like to save the environment, remember that it can be done in small steps as well as big ones. Even though you may not have too much money, there are little things you can do, such as lowering your heat to 60 when you aren’t home and cleaning your furnace filters monthly. Reduce your water heat temperature to one hundred twenty degrees to save money as well. Every little bit helps!
A microwave is a more energy efficient appliance than a stove, so consider using it more often. Stoves and ovens use a lot more energy than microwaves. So, whenever you can “nuke” something in the microwave, take advantage of it and tremendously cut down the energy output.
Your electric company can assist you in making your home energy-efficient. Lots of utility companies have information on their websites about your energy consumption and tips you can implement to save cash. They may also have programs to help you purchase energy efficient appliances and light bulbs.
If you spend the money on green appliances and electronics now, you’ll save over time. Green technology appliances can cost a bit more up front, but you will be paid back through lower energy bills for the life of the appliances. It also pays off in the future for the environment.
In your high traffic rooms, place automatic light sensors that have motion detection to light the area. These motion sensor lights will turn off lights in rooms that are not in use automatically, which in turn, will save you money with your energy bills. Make sure outdoor lighting, such as above your garage, in also included.
60 Degrees
One way to reduce energy consumption is to lower your thermostat in the winter. Consider setting your thermostat to 60 degrees during the night or while you are away. 60 degrees is the target temperature at which your heater will be consuming the least energy. The rewards include more money in your pocket and a more environmentally sound approach to energy management.
It is more important than ever to increase our use of green energy. While all energy comes with some risk, green energy will reduce the environmental impact we have. The information in the article you just read has given you some ideas on how you make the earth a greener place.