Tips for a Green Home
1. Your screen saver is not an energy saver, so be sure to turn off your computer when you’re not using it.
2. Unplug appliances and electronics when you are not using them. Many use energy even when they are not turned on (the “leaking electricity problem”).
3. Swap your incandescent light bulbs for more energy efficient ones, like LEDs. They can cut your homes’ energy usage by up to 80% and last an average of 25 times longer.
4. Every six months or so, unplug your refrigerator and clean the coils on the back and the motor and exhaust vents with a brush or vacuum and soapy water.
5. When it’s time to buy a new refrigerator, choose the most energy-efficient model you can afford.
6. Sealing cracks and leaks in the walls and around the windows can cut down on unwanted airflow into and out of your home.
7. Keeping the filter clean in the heating and air-conditioning equipment can keep pollutants from getting into the house.
8. In top-loading washing machines, use cold water to save energy and up to $63 a year. Detergents formulated for cold water get clothes just as clean.
9. Clean the aerators in your faucets and shower heads every few months.
10. Inquire about non-toxic cleaning products and buy them for your house.
11. Plant trees that lose leaves in the fall. They will protect your home from the summer sun and then allow winter sunlight and warmth to get inside.
12. Create a windbreak with evergreen trees and shrubs to stop cold winter winds.
#10 is probably the one I’m best about…everything in my house is non-toxic…thanks for these great tips!
We’re pretty green overall, but I’m sure we could make improvements. I know for a fact I’ve never done #4 and we’ve been in this house for nearly 10 years now!
I am so guilty of not turning off my computer, but I get so annoyed when it’s off because I pop on and off all day.
The house where I live now has all the trees planted a million miles away from the house so they’re no help when it comes to energy savings at all!