Energy Saving Tips For Going Green

Guest Post by Christopher

What does it mean to go green? Well, essentially, it means doing what you can to conserve water and energy and protect the planet. Those who are really adamant about going green do things like use wind power and solar power to run their homes and use compost heaps and recycled materials to help minimize waste. You can also do your part by taking baby steps in the right direction, if that’s a bit too extreme for you.

For example, consider some of these facts:

• In the USA alone, people use about one million dollars worth of energy every single minute of the day.
• Over 25% of home heating costs occur because the home doesn’t have enough insulation or the right type of insulation.
• A single house in the USA produces an average of 25,000 pounds of CO2 gas each year.

You could save yourself money and the planet from unnecessary pollution, if you simply keep those three things in mind. Turn light off when you leave the house. Have your home inspected to see if it is insulated properly. Minimize your CO2 emissions by using your household appliances efficiently. Just those three things would be a great step in the right direction.

Also, focus on your bills. Take a good look at your bills for:

• Water
• Gas
• Electricity

Not only that, also have an understanding of the energy output of the appliances and processes in your house. For example, know that lights, on average, make up about 12% of all electricity costs in your home. Leaving one light on when it doesn’t need to be might not seem like much, especially if it’s for less than an hour, but those costs do add up. That’s especially true over the course of a month or a year.

Refrigeration:

Refrigeration makes up another 8% of that monthly electricity bill, on average. You can cut back on that by doing yourself and the planet a couple of favors.

• Get an appropriately sized refrigerator for your needs.
• Get a modern refrigerator with a good Energy star rating.
• Avoid getting extra features that take more energy, such as water and ice dispensers in the front of the fridge.

Other Kitchen Appliances:

Think about other kitchen appliances and their energy output, too. In particular, consider what happens every time you turn on your oven. Whether it’s a gas or electric oven doesn’t matter. Either way, it takes time and money to heat up and run. It also produces unwanted byproducts, such as CO2 and heat.

If you’re looking to reduce emissions, lower costs and keep your house cooler, you need to minimize how much you use your oven. You can do that in two ways. The first is to cook food in large batches in the oven, minimizing how often you need to use it and making the best use of space. The second is to replace the use of a regular oven with a device like a Cuisinart Toaster Oven or another toaster oven model, such as the Breville BOV650XL. Toaster oven advantages include:

• Size
• Efficiency
• Coolness
• Customization
• Reduced Preheat And Cleaning Times

Around The House:

It’s not just in the kitchen that small changes can make a lot of difference in energy costs. You can also cut costs around the house. For example, arrange your light sources efficiently. Use one light to light a room, rather than 2 to 4 small lamps. Also, use energy-efficient, low-heat light bulbs. They cost more up front, but they last longer. When you can, it’s also a good idea to simply open the shades and use natural light.

Another way to save energy around the house is to get energy-efficient television sets. Newer models are more efficient than older ones, in some ways. However, there is a trend, these days, of people buying televisions that are much bigger than they need. That’s an unnecessary waste of money, space and, of course, energy.

Use Technology For Conservation:

Finally, learn to use technology for conservation. Many household objects and appliances, especially in the kitchen, are now designed specifically to help you save time, energy and water. So, just keep an eye open for the best products for both you and the planet and you’ll be cutting costs and reducing your household’s greenhouse gas emissions in no time. You’ll be doing your part to go green.

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Author Bio

Christopher is a active environmental†advocate and freelance write who writes articles on becoming energy†efficiently†and how it can save you money. He is also the author of  Toasterovenguide.com which is a site helping consumers choose energy efficient appliances for their kitchen.

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