In the last decade, the world has taken major strides to become more eco-friendly.
Be a part of this wonderful change and contribute by joining the GO GREEN effort. It only takes a few small fundamental changes to make a big difference in the environment while reaping the benefits of cost savings.
Here are 5 changes you can make to save both money and the environment.
1. Smart Meter
Depending on where you live many people enjoy using air conditioners during the warmer summer months and heaters in the colder winter months.
Installing a smart meter for home appliances such as heaters and air conditioning units can help reduce your energy bill as well as increase the life of the respective appliance.
For example, in the summer, you can program your air conditioner to turn on and off at certain hours of the day rather than keeping them running when it is unnecessary.
So when you leave for work in the morning, these units will shut themselves off, and before you arrive home from a long day at the office, they will turn themselves on again automatically.
Since these appliances are being used less, not only will you save money on your utility bill and maintenance costs, but you will also increase the lifetime of your various appliances.
The average smart meter only costs around $40 dollars on Amazon; this nifty little system will pay for itself in no time.
2. Energy Efficient Light Bulbs
In the past, incandescent bulbs have been the choice for most households. These lightbulbs use the most wattage, making them the most expensive to use on a daily basis.
A more energy-efficient solution is to use LED bulbs or compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs); both are superior options to traditional incandescent bulbs and will help you save money immediately on your energy bill, and because these two types of bulbs last longer than incandescent bulbs, you will not need to replace them as frequently.
On Amazon, a six-pack of 60 watt LED bulbs costs roughly 16 dollars while the same six-pack of incandescent bulbs costs $18 dollars.
Specifically, LED bulbs can last 20,000 to 50,000 hours, which is five times longer than any other bulb on the market.
This is a no brainer and easy fix to save both money and reduce your carbon footprint.
3. Insulate
One of the easiest ways to save money and be more green is to better insulate your home.
Adding insulation to walls, your roof, and windows are all great places to start if considering this eco-friendly option.
Insulating your home is not really a do it yourself type of job unless you have construction experience in this particular field.
Therefore be sure to ask friends and neighbors if they have a contractor they have used and recommend to successfully insulate your home.
Insulating your windows will also give your home an improved aesthetic look, which will add value if you are considering selling your property.
Having good insulation means you will use less heat in the winter and less air conditioning in the summer.
4. Reduce Water Consumption
Reducing your water consumption may be easier than you think. Start off by making sure you do not have any running leaks; if you do, be sure to fix them ASAP.
Consider buying an aerator from Amazon for only $14 dollars; adding this little tool to your faucets and showerheads will slow the flow of water and therefore reduce your water consumption.
It is estimated 30-60% of a home's water usage stems from irrigation, so be sure to buy plants and trees that don't need to be watered daily. White pines and Hispaniola trees, as well as lavender and foxglove plants, are great options for an eco-friendly garden.
5. Solar Panels
Solar panels require a sizable upfront investment, but if you are planning to live in your home for a long time, they can be worth the money.
Depending on the size of your home and the wattage you require, expect to pay somewhere around $18,500 for a 6kW solar panel system on a 1,500 square foot home, including installation.
Residential solar panel systems range from 3kW to 8kW.
This is a fantastic way to reduce your carbon footprint and to help out the environment.
While some of our go green improvement options for your home are on the expensive end, most of these green solutions can be implemented quickly, easily, and inexpensively.
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