Building a new home? Think sustainable architecture.
Remodeling a kitchen? Think up-cycling.
What about a new garden? Think recycled ground water.
If we keep using at the alarming rate we've been going, fossil fuels and natural gas supplies could be gone forever within 60 years! We can still have just as much fun as we are now and live enjoyable lives while fulfilling a conscientiously sustainable lifestyle though...
Good news! There are an abundance of energy saving ways we can choose to adopt now to further decrease our dependency on fossil fuels.
Start at home, and soon you'll see a chance to improve just about anywhere.
What you do at home can easily be mimiced at work, school, and just about everywhere else you go.
The Road to Weight Loss Most of us are alarmed at the increase of fuel costs our automobiles have consumed over the past 5 years.
Have you ever considered that you're actually paying for your gas by the pound? Driving around with a full trunk, an unused roof rack, or on wheels that are 3 times larger than necessary for your car, determines both the frequency and amount of fuel your vehicle needs to carry all that extra weight.
Shed the extra pounds now and save at the pump.
What you leave behind at home has been shown to reduce vehicle efficiency by over 10 %.
Unplug After Use Did you know you're paying money for your appliances even when they're not in use? If you're leaving them plugged in to an electrical outlet you certainly are.
Mobile phone chargers and unused power strips are two of the most common culprits left plugged in out of sheer habit.
Over time they're slowly sucking valuable energy and money out of your home and pocket book.
Done brewing the am coffee, simply unplug the maker.
Hair blown dry? Unplug and put away the dryer.
Really want to know what you could be saving? Call your local energy company to drop by for an energy audit to learn where you can be saving more and consuming less resources.
The average home can save $10-20 a month by simply unplugging unsed appliances.
It's Getting Really, Really, Hot In Here We all enjoy a hot shower for sure, yet studies show that the hotter the shower, the longer you stay, draining more water and energy than necessary.
Energy efficient experts suggest setting your hot water heater between 120-130 degrees to get this balance.
Keeping your water heater between these temps ensures your dishwasher won't be over-consuming as well.
Save a little heat when using your stovetop or oven.
Use the smallest cookware for the job.
No sense in heating up a 3 quart pan for only 1 cup of rice.
Take advantage of your convection setting as well.
Convection cooking not only speeds up the process, using less heat, it ensures as well that food is evenly and properly cooked throughout.
Is That Running Water I Hear? The amount of running water has been correlated directly to the amount of fossil fuels used in industrialization and around the home.
Our most precious earthly resource is all too often taken advantage of.
Although perhaps obvious, here are a few last mentionables to help save water and reduce the related dependence upon fossil fuels.
Remodeling a kitchen? Think up-cycling.
What about a new garden? Think recycled ground water.
If we keep using at the alarming rate we've been going, fossil fuels and natural gas supplies could be gone forever within 60 years! We can still have just as much fun as we are now and live enjoyable lives while fulfilling a conscientiously sustainable lifestyle though...
Good news! There are an abundance of energy saving ways we can choose to adopt now to further decrease our dependency on fossil fuels.
Start at home, and soon you'll see a chance to improve just about anywhere.
What you do at home can easily be mimiced at work, school, and just about everywhere else you go.
The Road to Weight Loss Most of us are alarmed at the increase of fuel costs our automobiles have consumed over the past 5 years.
Have you ever considered that you're actually paying for your gas by the pound? Driving around with a full trunk, an unused roof rack, or on wheels that are 3 times larger than necessary for your car, determines both the frequency and amount of fuel your vehicle needs to carry all that extra weight.
Shed the extra pounds now and save at the pump.
What you leave behind at home has been shown to reduce vehicle efficiency by over 10 %.
Unplug After Use Did you know you're paying money for your appliances even when they're not in use? If you're leaving them plugged in to an electrical outlet you certainly are.
Mobile phone chargers and unused power strips are two of the most common culprits left plugged in out of sheer habit.
Over time they're slowly sucking valuable energy and money out of your home and pocket book.
Done brewing the am coffee, simply unplug the maker.
Hair blown dry? Unplug and put away the dryer.
Really want to know what you could be saving? Call your local energy company to drop by for an energy audit to learn where you can be saving more and consuming less resources.
The average home can save $10-20 a month by simply unplugging unsed appliances.
It's Getting Really, Really, Hot In Here We all enjoy a hot shower for sure, yet studies show that the hotter the shower, the longer you stay, draining more water and energy than necessary.
Energy efficient experts suggest setting your hot water heater between 120-130 degrees to get this balance.
Keeping your water heater between these temps ensures your dishwasher won't be over-consuming as well.
Save a little heat when using your stovetop or oven.
Use the smallest cookware for the job.
No sense in heating up a 3 quart pan for only 1 cup of rice.
Take advantage of your convection setting as well.
Convection cooking not only speeds up the process, using less heat, it ensures as well that food is evenly and properly cooked throughout.
Is That Running Water I Hear? The amount of running water has been correlated directly to the amount of fossil fuels used in industrialization and around the home.
Our most precious earthly resource is all too often taken advantage of.
Although perhaps obvious, here are a few last mentionables to help save water and reduce the related dependence upon fossil fuels.
- Brushing your teeth? Turn the water off or use about 4 ounces of pre-drawn water to complete the job.
- Shaving in the shower? Get a little wet and then turn off the faucet while shaving and lathering up.
- Have a garbage disposal? Try composting.
Garbage disposals use copious amounts of energy and water to grind up waste into tiny particles.
Composting requires less energy and allows your food scraps to be used as re-purposable materials. - Leaky faucet or shower? Maybe you can't get it fixed today.
Until you do, place a bucket beneath the leak and use the excess water to feed the house plants and garden. - Landscaping.
Only plant foliage indiginous to your locale so that excess sprinkling and watering can be avoided.
Consider plants that will lend shade in the warmer summer months to reduce water use and lend cooling by their expansive fronds. - Washing dishes.
Stop running that water unless you've got something directly under it! You can accomplish the job without blasting the stream as well.
Experts say an energy efficient dishwasher saves you water and money in the long run. - Clothes washing.
Wear it once, twice, three times before washing.
If you can't afford it now, consider saving for a front loading washer and dryer.
Even if it's not hot outside, a swift breeze allows for most articles of clothing to dry on a line.