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Tips for Being Green

How to make your home greener with simple energy-saving habits.

Make your house green! Don’t whip out the buckets of green paint just yet… we have a better idea. We all know a few things to do to conserve energy at home, but with a little more effort we can really conserve. Energy is often wasted, and electric bills go up because of inefficient home components such as windows, heating and cooling systems, ducts, insulation, or simply from not paying attention to how appliances and products are used. A good start is to look at these areas first for easy fixes, in addition to the following tips.

How To Make Your Home Greener

Here are some easy, and not so easy, ways to conserve energy and reduce waste at home.

Air Circulation

  • Keep the cold air out. If you already have energy efficient windows, great. If not, increase window energy efficiency by hanging insulating curtains or drapes. You can also place a towel along the window ledge to help keep cold air out.
  • Keep doors and windows closed when using heating or cooling units.
  • Don’t blast the AC or heat. Keep it reasonable. In the summer, try keeping the air conditioning around 78°F when you’re home, and around 70°F for heating. Each degree of heating or cooling can add roughly four to five percent to energy costs.
  • Clean and replace filters. Appliances with filters use more energy when those filters are clogged. Have someone who knows what they’re doing check appliances, including heating and cooling systems. Even check your hair dryer
  • Give your air conditioner a break, or at least turn it down. By creating shade, you can save on cooling costs. Use shades, awnings, or sun screens to shade your home and windows. Even a tree or plant can help.

Lighting

  • Brighten your room with better bulbs. Replace existing incandescent lamps with compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), LED bulbs, or other energy-saving bulbs. These can use significantly less electricity than traditional bulbs.
  • Use dimmer switches, timers, or motion sensors on lights where possible.
  • Turn off lights when leaving a room.
  • Use natural daylight whenever possible.
  • Use motion sensors for outdoor or low-traffic areas.

Appliances

  • Shop for greener appliances. If you are in the market for a new washer, refrigerator, or other appliance, look for Energy Star products. They are more efficient and can help reduce energy use.
  • Is your fridge running too hard? Fresh foods usually keep well around 37 to 42°F, and frozen foods around 0 to 5°F. Adjust the temperature so it is not set lower than needed.
  • Put your computer on hibernate mode. This way, when you are away from the computer, it can save energy without fully shutting everything down.
  • Fill the washer or dryer when doing laundry. Don’t waste energy and water by washing only a couple of items when the machine can handle a full load.
  • Clean the dryer lint trap after each use.
  • Wash clothes with cold water when possible. A large amount of washing machine energy goes into heating water.
  • Line-dry when possible. Use a clothesline outside or a drying rack inside instead of using the dryer.
  • Dishwasher: wash only full loads. Use the energy saver or air dry cycle, or open the door and let dishes dry naturally.
  • Oven: avoid unnecessary preheating when possible. Cook complete meals of several dishes simultaneously in the oven.
  • Use the microwave oven when possible.
  • Use the smallest pan necessary when you cook. Smaller pans require less energy.
  • Reduce cooking time by defrosting frozen foods in the refrigerator before cooking.
  • Avoid excessive peeking into the oven. Each time the door is opened, heat escapes.
  • Keep the fridge closed. Opening the fridge door repeatedly wastes energy and increases costs.

Water

  • Take shorter showers. The average eight-minute shower can use around 20 gallons of water. A shorter shower can save a lot over time.
  • Ask about lowering the water heater temperature.
  • Install a low-flow shower head to save water and money.
  • Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth.
  • Dishwasher: wash only full loads and use the energy saver or air dry cycle when possible.
  • Washing machine: wash only full loads.
  • Still drinking bottled water at home? Consider purifying tap water with a water filter and reducing plastic bottle use.

Adapted from energy-saving home efficiency tips originally referenced from DoSomething.org.

Heating, Cooling & Seasonal Habits

  • In winter, open window coverings on sunny days to help warm rooms naturally.
  • In summer, close window coverings during the day to help keep rooms cooler.
  • Close the damper when not using your fireplace.
  • Turn your heating system down when using your fireplace to prevent heated air from escaping outdoors.

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