Going Green" at Home
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by: JerryD. | Total views: 77 | Word Count: 622
The environment is on everyone's mind these days, but how can you as an individual make a difference by going green at home? Many of us recycle and conserve in many ways already, but it's very easy to do other things that can make us "green," too. And there are other advantages to going green besides the benefits to the environment. Going green can actually save you money. It just takes a little adjustment to enjoy the benefits going green can give you.
One of the big ways you can save energy costs and go green relates to the energy it takes to heat your home. If you set your thermostat to 20 degrees Celsius or 68 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter and to 25 degrees Celsius or 78 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter, you'll conserve energy and save money on your energy bills simultaneously.
You can also save energy costs if you can create shade in the summer at the west and east ends of your home. This can keep your indoor temperature several degrees cooler while the sun is at its hottest in the morning and afternoon. If you cook early in the day before the temperature is at its hottest or late in the day after it has cooled down, this will also reduce your energy needs because heat won't be trapped inside your home, thus reducing your dependence on air conditioning. You can also use ceiling fans to circulate the air and help keep it from becoming too hot.
Polyethylene plastic bags, like those commonly offered by grocers, are manufactured using petroleum. As 100 billion plastic bags are thrown away annually, their disposal by burning presents a devastating assault upon the environment. By investing a dollar or two in re-usable cloth grocery bags, the amount of plastic bags wasted can be reduced along with their global warming impact.
Plastic water bottles increase the level of greenhouse gases as they languish in landfills. To reduce this impact, every member of the family should have their own re-usable water bottle to carry with them when they are away from home. Filling bottles before leaving home also saves money.
To reduce fuel costs and rising carbon emissions, public transportation or carpooling is ideal for daily travel. With fewer cars on the road, not only will the air be cleaner, but also the cost of public transportation by train, bus or carpooling can save consumers hundreds or even thousands of dollars each year. As the demand for fuel decreases, retail prices for fuel does also. For neighborhood errands, walking or riding a bicycle is another great way to cut fuel emissions and both are an effective form of exercise.
If you're about to remodel your home, bypass the hardwood flooring and instead install bamboo flooring. Bamboo flooring is environmentally friendly because it is self-replenishing and produces a high yield. The bamboo matures in six to eight years, versus the 50 to 100 years it takes the trees necessary for hardwood floors to mature. And when you install your bamboo flooring, use glues that don't contain formaldehyde, which is very toxic.
Finally, opt out of paper bills and opt in to electronic bill payments instead. Many companies even encourage this by offering discounts to customers who receive and pay their bills electronically. To further help keep paper waste products out of landfills, purchase recycled paper products and make sure they are unbleached since the bleaching process is environmentally toxic.
It's true that some people believe in going green can be difficult, but it's actually not difficult to do so once you know how. If you go green, you can rest easy knowing that you've done your part to help the environment, and you'll save some money at the same time.
About the Author
About the author: Jerry Dyess specializes in Texas Electricity news and Texas Electric prices.
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