Reduce Your Carbon Footprint With These Tips

Green energy has become more popular these days due to the condition of the economy. Using sustainable resources is a great way to keep energy costs down and reduce utility bills in hard economic times. Continue reading to get some basic green energy tips.

Use a solar-solar powered system to heat water. Solar water heaters use solar energy in an efficient way to heat your water. In the United States there are many tax deductions for energy efficient green products.

Rather than using an air conditioner during the summer, wear clothes that are natural. Natural materials like cotton repel moisture from your skin and allow it to stay cool. Choose lighter colors so that you feel cooler and can resist turning up the air conditioning.

Clean filters or replace them to ensure your furnace is appropriating at prime efficiency. It’s a good call to add filters to warm air registers. These filters keep children’s toys, dirt or dust from clogging the heating ducts.

If you currently use fuel oil for home heating, ask your local technician how you can switch over to biodiesel fuel. Sometimes you can make the switch to some use of biodiesel fuels without having to purchase new parts or make costly modifications. The bonus of doing this is a cleaner burning fuel that is generally also more efficient, and you’ll lessen your impact on the environment also.

Instead of using a desktop computer, which sucks up more electricity, buy a laptop. This can lower your electrical use by as much as 75%, particularly if you are someone who stays on the Internet for long periods of time. Since laptops are portable, you can use them anywhere.

Avoid cranking the heat in your home unless it’s absolutely necessary. When the temperature drops, reach for a sweater instead of the thermostat. High heat can use too much energy.

Closely monitor how many watts you are using. Gadgets such as the Watt Minder or the Kill-A-Watt will help you find out which of your appliances are hogging energy. Plus an appliance into the gadget and it will tell you how much energy it is using. This will make you realize what a given appliance costs you over the long run.

If you are serious about becoming more green, you should keep track of your energy usage from month-to-month and then year-to-year. Simply being more conscious of your energy expenditures can help you to significantly reduce them. For example, making a decision to reduce electricity usage will help you develop a habit to turn off lights and appliances when not in use.

Another great idea would be to use bio-fuels for house heating. Biofuels are usually composed of vegetable fats, animal fats, wood and oil. A propane furnace can be converted to use these types of fuels, or fuel blends. Most furnaces use between 20 to 99% bio-diesel fuels. Talk to a professional before you use these types of fuels so you can do it safely.

Try installing a toilet that saves water. Some studies show that flushing the toilet accounts for half the water used in a typical home. Older toilet models use up to 70 percent more water per year than newer ones.

It may be common sense, but most people do not turn off machines, lights, and other equipment when not in use. Most people could probably save a ton on utility bills by getting in this habit. Consider what you are doing before it is done, and turn those appliances and lights off when you are finished using them.

This article provides so many simple tips for using green energy that it will save you money each month. You can save a lot of money by going green, especially in this economy. So be sure to use the tips from this article, and before you know it, you’ll be helping out your pocket and the environment at the same time.

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