Small Things You Can Do To Live Green

Going green is rightfully becoming a popular movement for people like utility directors. Living

green has a unlimited number of environmental and monetary benefits. By taking the time to

read the following article, you will find some information that you can put to use in your home

right away.

Reduce the price of heating water in pools, hot tubs and inside your home by using solar-

powered heating systems. Traditional gas and electricity are not that efficient, but solar-

powered water heaters glean the sun's natural energy to maintain even temperatures. These

upgrades may cost more, but qualify for tax deductions, too.

One easy way to save energy is to select bright, light colors for the walls in your rooms. If

your walls are painted a dark color, you will have to use more light to brighten it up, which

makes your home less energy-efficient. With lighter colors in place, you will find the need for

illumination is decreased. The house will have a lighter feel and look, as you save money.

Use electric heating sparingly in the winter. Wrap up your family in warmer clothes and make

use of your fireplace for added warmth. Keep in mind, cooler air while sleeping makes your

breathing better, and keeps your airways from getting too dry.

Energy can be saved by taking out the laptop computer battery and then run on AC power

when not being mobile. The battery will continue to draw energy, even at full capacity, so

taking it out will save a few kilowatts of power. A bonus is that you will also improve the

battery's life.

When decorating for the holidays you should forgo traditional lights and get LED lights

instead. The use of LED lights reduces the use of electricity according to research. The

Department of Energy estimates that everyone can save well over 2 billion kilowatts including

hours of power and energy if everyone did this type of change. This electricity could power

more than 200,000 houses for a year. At the very least, you can shave some money from

your own power bill!

Find a qualified pro to work with. Learn as much as you can about any system you are

considering buying; don't purchase anything unless you know it really saves money in the

long run. Be leery of any salesman that seems too intent on selling you something without

first showing you evidence of their system's efficiency.

Insist that your government pass laws that help encourage companies to use green energy.

Awareness is a great tool to use and is often, not used enough. When you know that a

company is not acting in the community's best interest by using sound, green technology,

you might think twice about doing business with them. By having companies be forced to

publicize what they are doing, they would be more likely to start practicing green technology.

Search for an Energy Star logo when shopping for appliances in order to find the most

energy-efficient ones. If your appliance has an ENERGY STAR logo, then it falls within the

guidelines set by both the U.S. Department of Energy plus those of Environmental Protection

Agency. Additionally, they are generally more likely to have a tax rebate.

Using green energy doesn't have to be complicated. As seen in this article, there are a lot of

simple ways in order to live your life greener. Remember to use what you have read here

today. Just by putting in a little bit of effort, you can really make quite a difference.