The green living craze is not just another fad. It’s here to stay, and there’s a reason for that. That reason is that green living is excellent for the environment and it’s also economical. You can actually save a lot of money by doing your part to save planet Earth.
You can save energy and money in a number of ways right in your own home. Start with your lighting. Get yourself some fluorescent light bulbs and set them up on motion sensors or timers. That way they will last longer and only come on when you need them. Let’s look at some other great tips for green living in and around your home.
Transportation:
First, stop and consider how you get around. If you drive a car that gets bad gas mileage, consider getting an electric car, instead. Some of them can get 75 miles or more for every gallon of gas you put into them. If that’s not an option, try walking or riding a bicycle whenever possible. You’ll get in shape, save money and save the planet.
Appliances That Aren’t In Use:
Appliances that aren’t in use, believe it or not, can cost you a lot of money anyway. Anything that is plugged into a wall outlet will spend some electricity, even if that appliance is shut off. Many of us are guilty of leaving our computers or small appliances plugged in, even when we are not home or asleep. Taking the time to unplug them can pay off in a big way.
One way to make sure that you always unplug things is to invest in certain energy-saving electronic devices. For example, it’s now possible to find plug strips and outlet plates that glow or beep when in use. There are even some that shut themselves off automatically after a certain length of time. So, a little up front money and time spent can save you a lot of both later on.
In The Kitchen:
In the kitchen the options for energy and money savings are practically endless. To begin with, you should update all of your major appliances. Newer dishwashers, ovens and refrigerators are much more energy-efficient than older models. Dishwashers can even control their own water flow now. So, you shouldn’t let older appliances run up your electric and gas bills.
Periodically Inspect Your Cookware:
Cookware is not all the same. Even the best cookware wears out over time. So, you should periodically check on your cookware to make sure that it isn’t warped or damaged. You should also make sure that your pots and pans are designed to fit on your stove top. You could lose 40% or more of the heat created by your stove top, if your pots and pans aren’t the right size for the burners.
Be Careful About How You Cook Food:
Finally, the way in which you cook your food can also have a huge influence on your energy bill. For example, a pressure cooker is a great cooking tool. It cooks food quickly and easily and often cooks several foods at a time. Therefore, you don’t need to heat several different pots and pans. In fact, any cooking method using a lidded pot or pan is very heat-efficient.
As for ovens, there are many problems with using your oven too often. For example, you may waste a lot of energy by heating a large oven to cook one small thing. That’s why a Breville toaster oven or other toaster oven model might be a good alternative. Toaster ovens heat up quickly and can handle cooking a lot of things that you might not expect.
