A lot of people are very interested in living a more green life, but are unaware of how to begin. There are plenty of ways that consumers can use renewable energy sources to protect the environment. Read on to find out out how to be more environmentally friendly and save money at the same time.
Consider outdoor lighting, such as garden or patio lighting, that is solar-powered. Not only are they a reasonable purchase price, but they do not require electricity to run. This will save a lot of energy. You also won’t have to spend time wiring your outdoor lights.
Changing your heating to solar water can reduce the price to heat your water, hot tub and pool. Both natural gas and electricity are inefficient heating methods, while solar water heaters use the sun to constantly heat your water. Many of these improvements will cost you a bit up front, but the cost savings and tax deductions will usually more than offset that cost.
Solar Panels
Solar panels can be easily installed on your home and are used to collect energy from the sun for use in your home. There are several things that should be considered prior to installing solar panels. What you need to know first is how much of the sun does your home generally receive? If you live in an area with a lot of shade, or worse, a lot of cloudy days, you’ll be unable to make full use of solar panels.
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. Biodiesel is cleaner to burn than petroleum, making it more efficient to use in the wintertime.
During the summer months, think about using the heat from the sun to dry your clothes instead of utilizing a dryer. The sun gives your clothes a great smell. Laundry will smell fresher and cleaner, much more so than when they were in the dryer. You will also save on your utilities bills by line drying your laundry.
Don’t waste money or energy by running a half-full load of dishes. If you only have a couple of dishes, do not put them in the dishwasher and turn it on. You might be surprised by how much you can actually fit in the dishwasher. Strategically load your dishwasher so that you fit in as many dishes as possible.
If you are not using something, turn it off. Whenever you leave a room, get into the habit of turning off lights, televisions, and computers. Power strips are handy, because you can turn a number of devices off with the flip of one switch.
Solar Power
Find out more about active and passive forms of solar power. Activer solar power lets stored energy be used later, while passive power doesn’t require expensive storage cells. In order to use active power, you will need to install a few things, including solar cells, mechanical systems, and most importantly, solar panels. While passive is simply using the sun to store thermal energy inside your walls to heat your home with.
It is more important than ever to focus on green energy, especially as oil prices continue to rise. If know what green energy technologies are available, it is much easier to take advantage of them. Utilize the tips and advice you have read here, and you will be well on your way to living a greener life.