With all the environmental disasters we've been facing lately, it's easy to feel helpless about the state of our world. You may feel frustrated and even compelled to protest the big picture issues we've been experiencing. But rather than fall into this mood, I'd like to suggest that we take a look at those things we have a bit more control over.
How about we revisit those things that we can actually do in the name of going green? I'm hoping that in some capacity, the small actions may add up. Having control over some things may help assuage some of the frustrations we feel. After all, we've already covered a few ideas for going green and saving money at the same time. How about a few more simple moves that we can do around the house?
Watch Those Energy Bills
Let's start with the obvious. Your electricity bill: if there were things you could do to go green that could also bring your utility bill down, wouldn’t you want to do them? But of course! So let’s get started in that direction right now.
First, you need to get in the habit of turning your thermostat down. Even doing this by just a couple of degrees can make a dent in your electricity bill, and you'll hardly notice the difference in your house. But in case you do, you can always throw on a sweater until you become accustomed to it.
You can also choose to unplug your electronics, particularly "energy vampires," or appliances that are heavy energy users. While it's been reported to save only around 30 to 60 kilowatt hours a month in an average house, you may want to do this more for the sake of reducing CO2 emissions. Something as simple as using a power strip may simplify how you're able to control your energy usage.
When it comes down to where your energy hogs are at home, don't look further than your home office. It's the perfect place to use an eco-socket (or power strip). There are several versions of these available at hardware stores but the basic idea is that the strip has one switch on it that automatically powers off everything that is plugged into it. You could have ten things plugged into one panel (easy to do in a home office when you think about it) and they will all switch off in one hit.
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You can also buy various appliances nowadays that save energy all on their own. Even kitchen items and other household objects are now being manufactured with the environment in mind. You can buy kettles which have an eco-switch on them which allows you to boil at slightly lower temperatures. You can use more energy efficient light bulbs or install light dimmers to allow you to use less power altogether.
Go Green Around The Yard
Another way to save is to recycle as much as you can at home. Get a compost bin and start chucking all your garden rubbish in it, as well as some of your compostable kitchen rubbish as well. For those who use compost, making your own can add to your savings.
If you've got a garden, then you can also try growing your own fruit trees and vegetables, which can be quite rewarding. One great benefit? It allows you to grow produce that is truly organic and free of pesticides and other additives. Plus, there's the convenience of having them ready to hit your kitchen without a trip to the store.
And if you're so inclined, buying things secondhand from yard sales and online sites like Craigslist and eBay is another great way to promote recycling. I personally love shopping for gently used items, as I've found a lot of my favorite treasures this way.
So have you got any tips for saving money and the environment that have worked well for you? While the politicians and big companies worry about the big picture, I'm all for doing what I can in my little corner of the world to help with keeping things clean and green.
