Everyone loves to use their cars, microwaves, portable media players, and other life-enhancing technology, but it’s often true that these items are being used at the cost of the environment. It’s important to learn as much as possible about how to power everyone’s life without damaging the Earth, and this article will help you do just that!
Buying energy-efficient light bulbs is a great way to save money and use green energy in your home. These light bulbs take a couple minutes to use their maximum brightness. This delay allows less energy to be used when turning on the lights in your home, which is a great way to save energy!
When building your home, pay attention to its orientation. An ideal home should be protected against overhead sun during the summer and be oriented so that it gets low-angle sun in the winter. This is a good way to save money on your heating bill and will keep your home cool in the summer.
Try heating your home with a wood pellet stove. The pellets burned in a pellet stove are made of highly compact sawdust. They burn so cleanly than they are not required to get an EPA certification for emissions. Be aware, however, that the cost of the pellets may be high in some areas.
You should never use a small amount of warm water all at once. Doing this will just gradually increase your overall energy usage. Instead, try using all the warm water you plan on using immediately. For example, you should try having all your family members take a quick shower at once.
If you are thinking about switching to solar power, do your research first. Some towns have restrictions regarding the number of collectors they allow. To bypass these limitations, think about getting your neighbors to join you and get a solar power unit that would provide power for a small group of homes.
Think outside of the box. While many people think ‘solar’ panels when they think of green energy, there are other ways to take advantage of the sun. If you are building a new home, consider incorporating passive solar design into the home. By building with materials such as concrete or adobe and taking advantage of the sun’s natural heat with south-facing windows, you can create a home that will naturally heat itself in the winter and stay cool in the summer.
Remember that solar panels, whether you install them on your roof or anywhere else on your property, must be angled toward the sun to receive maximum exposure. In the Northern Hemisphere, this means facing them south with an angle of latitude plus fifteen degrees. Otherwise, your investment will not return as much energy as you hope.
Whether you want to listen to music or drive across the country, the fact that you’re taking the time to learn how to do it in an environmentally responsible way is commendable. Use what you’ve read in this article to continue doing what’s best for the environment and people around you.
