Did you know you can put money in your pocket and be environment friendly around the house? Here are 12 ways to save money and the environment.
1.
Take advantage of convenience foods and use your microwave more than you use your oven or stove top.
The microwave cooks food in a very short amount of time, and uses way less energy than the stove uses.
This saves you money, and it saves the environment.
2.
Replace light fixtures with those that take fluorescent bulbs.
Use smaller fluorescent fixtures, as these save energy, which saves you money, all while saving the environment.
Fluorescent bulbs also last longer than regular bulbs, which saves you even more money.
3.
Plant trees! Not only will you be increasing the oxygen in the air, and beautifying your lawn and community, but you will also eventually be shading your house, which will help to keep it insulated a bit better.
You guessed it; this will save you money in the long run.
4.
Put security lights and other lights on timers, or invest in motion sensor lighting outdoors.
There is no need to leave the porch light burning all night.
5.
If you must use your oven, realize that this also causes your air condition unit to work harder, and it also uses a great deal of energy even if you don't have air conditioning.
Each time you open the oven door, you reduce the temperature inside by about thirty degrees, which means that the oven must work harder to heat back up.
6.
Invest in new windows for your home.
You may not see this as a savings right now, but it really is in the long run.
Choose energy efficient windows, and in the long run, you will save loads of money on your heating and cooling bills.
7.
Find out if Green Electricity is available in your area, and if it is, go with the green! Unfortunately, green electricity isn't yet available in all areas, but it will be eventually, so keep checking! 8.
Remember your own power, and use your own power, instead of electricity, whenever possible.
For instance, you can mash potatoes without a mixer.
You can open cans with a handheld can opener.
You can use a knife instead of a food processor.
These are all small changes, and it really doesn't take long to do these things.
These small changes can save you big money.
9.
Invest in weather stripping around all doors and windows, and insulation for your home.
If your home sits up on rafters or blocks, the open space below is costing you money, and harming the environment.
Block it off, and insulate it as best as you can.
It may be an expense now, but it will be a savings in the near future.
10.
Purchase insulation for your hot water heater.
Some experts suggest an insulated blanket, but in some cases, this could be dangerous.
Instead, find insulation that is specifically meant for hot water heaters.
This saves energy.
11.
Use ceiling fans in your home.
Turn it on when you are in the room - and turn it off when you leave the room.
Ceiling fans move the air, and make it more comfortable, at a fraction of the cost of turning down the thermostat.
They even save money in the winter time.
Heat rises, and ceiling fans force the air back down to heat the room, which of course means that you don't have to turn that thermostat up.
12.
Provide shade for your air conditioning unit.
This helps it to operate more efficiently, which of course saves you money.