Help the environment and save some cash today.
Being green, or living an energy frugal life, doesn't have to mean being a radical environmentalist or picketing at a coal plant. To many, being green is simply a matter of common sense. You can incorporate a few lifestyle changes into your everyday life to save some money and help reduce the consumption of non-renewable resources. Regardless of economic conditions or political belief, saving money by not being wasteful is always the right thing to do.
Instructions
1. Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs. You will save 60 percent in electricity and get more bulb life than incandescent bulbs.
2. Wrap your water heater. Wrapping it prevents heat loss and makes the appliance more efficient. An efficient water heater that is set on a lower temperature runs less and lasts longer, saving you cash.
3. Weatherize your home. Caulk windows, install weatherstripping on doors and look for drafts. You will save on utilities and keep your house the right temperature easier, reducing wear on heating and cooling appliances.
4. Install motion sensors and new thermostats. Motion sensors especially help for families with kids who never remember to turn off the lights. Programmable thermostats can be set to turn down or off heating or cooling overnight saving utility costs and wear on appliances.
5. Update your car's maintenance. Replace air filters, air tires, change fuel filters and maintain your car well. Doing so makes it last longer, use less gas and saves you money in fuel and major repair costs.
6. Hop on a bus or start a carpool. Shared transportation saves energy and money.
7. Switch to cold-water clothes washing and line drying, when possible. Cold-water washing can save up to 80 percent of energy and line drying is free and helps protect clothing wear from your dryer. Use a laundromat when possible as a good laundromat has very efficient, commercial front-loading machines that save them money.
8. Use permanent coffee filters. They don't pollute and you only buy them once.
9. Use a newer laptop instead of a desktop computer. They are much more efficient. Unplug your computer when it is not being used or charged.
10. Unplug anything that uses a power adapter, or little black box, to plug into the wall. They are inefficient and use electricity even when not being used.
11. Buy used when possible. Unless energy costs are a concern, as in older appliances, buy used to save money and prevent items from being tossed into the landfill prematurely. Check Craigslist or Freecycle.
12. Collect rainwater with barrels and use it to water plants or flowers. Rainwater has more nitrogen and is free to reuse.
Tags: when possible, being used, heating cooling, line drying, more efficient, save percent, save some