Creating Electricity From Sunshine by: Nick Messe

Do you want to do your part to help the environment while saving yourself some money? Then why not cover your roof with photovoltaic solar panels? Many home and business owners are using solar panels as a way to control the cost of heating, cooling or powering their buildings, helping the environment and generating income. California is the national leader in using solar panels to capture, use and sell the energy of the sun.

Read more »

Leia mais...

Going Green Bit by Bit

Living a greener lifestyle feels complicated. But you can start with the easy steps and make a real difference, even if it's a small one at first.

Let's start with your light fixtures. As your light bulbs die, replace them with compact fluorescent light bulbs. These cost more at the store but use less energy and last up to 10 times longer, so they can be well worth the money. These are much better than the old fluorescent bulbs which had an awkward greenish cast and slight flicker at times.

Do you drink a lot of bottled water? Stop buying the little bottles and buy a reusable one. A good water bottle is easily washable and you can use tap water, filtered water or buy larger bottles if you just have to have the bottled water taste. But I find just having tap water ice cold helps the flavor tremendously.

If you just can't stand the taste of tap water try a filtration system. A good system can really change the taste and get rid of some of the flavors you don't want in your water.

Master your curbside recycling list. Many communities now offer curbside recycling. If you understand everything that can go into the recycling bin you can recycle quite a bit that might have otherwise gone into the landfill. You can also consider what can be recycled as you shop. Make recycling at home easier by having a separate bin for recycling by your main indoor trash can and elsewhere if convenient.

Use rechargeable batteries when you can and know how to properly dispose of old batteries. Some states now require that you recycle your batteries, but it can be difficult to know where to take them. Take advantage of http://www.rbrc.org/ and find out how to recycle batteries in your area.

Other things can be recycled too, in ways you may not have thought of. Some Goodwill locations will take old computers and parts. Check http://www.goodwill.org/page/guest/about/howweoperate/recycling to learn more about their programs. You can also get rid of old things you don't want through http://www.freecycle.org.

Consider water efficient showerheads. A good quality one will keep the noticeable difference to a minimum as you shower yet save quite a bit of water. Also try shortening your shower, which can cut both water and energy use.

Make your home more energy efficient. Even without replacing windows or blinds you can take steps that will make a difference. On sunny fall and winter days opening blinds on the side of the house that the sun shines directly upon the windows can help to heat your home naturally. Keep those blinds closed the rest of time for insulation, of course.

Also try putting on a sweater in winter rather than turning on the heater. Dropping that thermostat by a couple of degrees really can cut your energy usage.

Unplug chargers when they aren't needed. Does your electric toothbrush really need charging 24/7/365? Most can cope well with being charged once a week or even less. Cell phones and other such items also do not need their chargers plugged in all the time.

Other items such as picking local produce and bringing reusable shopping bags rather than getting bags every time at the grocery store may not be as easy but can be quite effective. These require more effort but are not all that difficult.

Living a greener lifestyle is not so impossible as it might feel. A few simple steps can make a difference even on those days you don't feel like trying. Best of all, many of these tips can save you money.

Source: Free Articles

Leia mais...

Household Energy Saving Tips

Each room or area of your household, including the outdoors, can contribute to making the process of saving energy an efficient one, with undeniable results.

Thus, the attic, for example, is an area which plays a huge role in the energy management of your home, which is why you have to constantly make sure the door of your attic is well insulated. Keep an eye also on the ventilation system, as it is highly recommended for this space of your house to receive good air ventilation.

Another area of the house which might be causing energy efficiency problems is the bathroom, due to the fact that here the humidity level is always higher. As a consequence, it is advisable to fix any leaky faucets promptly, as studies show that one single leak of one drop per second will in fact waste the huge amount of 250 gallons of water per month, as well as the energy used to heat it. Another tip on saving water is to install water saving shower heads. Obviously, the most efficient modalities of saving both water and energy are related to being self-conscious and taking shorter showers, turning off the water while shaving or brushing your teeth. Moreover, adjusting the water heater thermostat at a temperature below than 120 degrees F will contribute to both reducing the cost of energy spent on heating and to preventing scalding.

As far as the bedrooms go, and especially the ones for guests, it is recommended to turn off the air conditioning or the heating vents in the rooms you do not use. In addition, for these rooms ceiling fans seem to be the best and energy efficient manner for cooling.

All these smart and easy to put into practice energy saving techniques will eventually turn out to be real solutions for lowering the bills and contributing to keep under control the overall energy consumption.

Source: Free Articles

Leia mais...

Smart Energy Tips

It has become a very common reality for the majority of household owners to spend huge amounts of money on monthly utilities. Most of the time, the most expensive things we all have to pay for are related to heating and cooling the house, but, however, the use of home appliances can also make a difference in the overall cost of living for a common family.

In order to prevent spending unnecessary amounts of money, for a quality of life that we can obtain cheaper, it is always good to keep in mind a series of simple energy saving techniques, which eventually are going to make a consistent difference in the overall utility cost. These techniques or tips can be easily put into practice and moreover, they can be adapted to the necessities of each household, in order to maximize the percentage of energy saved.

Thus, the living room, for example, can be heated during the warm season by simply keeping the shades on the south-facing windows open during the day and closed during the night, instead of using artificial form of heating. In addition, to avoid undesired chilling of the room, make sure the fireplace damper is closed, when the fire is not burning. Moreover, if you never use your fireplace, it is recommended to plug and seal the chimney flue.

As far as the kitchen energy tips go, it is advisable to keep the preheating time of the oven to a minimum and try to open the oven door as few times as possible, because you actually loose heat with every single opening. When cooking, make sure you cover the pots and pans with lids, so that you keep the temperature high and reduce cooking time.

Thinking about minor details, such as switching off the light when you go out of a room and saving water when you brush your teeth, will eventually result into an important difference, as far as the amount of money you have to spend on your utilities bills.

Source: Free Articles

Leia mais...