The following is a guest post from Jakob Barry from Networx.com. When it comes to eco-friendliness there are many actions we can take to make the environment around us a better place. At the same time, did you know various aspects of going Green can actually help save money every day?
Believe it or not with slight adjustments to our routine we can truly make a difference on the monthly bills not to mention lead a healthier more wholesome lifestyle.
Consider the following…
Water usage:
While there are deserts in North America it’s hard to say water is scarce. Droughts occur but in most cases there is enough to drink and when there isn’t it can be piped in from far away. This sense of an endless flow of water, however, is quite problematic because people use water resources a lot faster than they are replenished by nature.
For this reason it’s important to take water usage a little more seriously and conserve so we aren’t forced into a situation where it’s regulated as in other places around the world. We’ll also save a few dollars in the bank. Some tips for conserving:
- Turn off the tap when brushing teeth and scrubbing dishes. Turn it on to rinse.
- Catch shower water in a bucket when waiting for the preferred temperature. Use that water for plants or flushing the toilet.
- When watering the garden use a watering can instead of a hose and feed plants by their roots.
- Catch rain water in a barrel to use in the garden, for cleaning floors, and washing the car.
Electricity:
When we flip a switch and a bulb lights up or turn a dial on an oven and the kettle boils it’s the electric company providing all of that energy. The greater the electric usage for a region is the more the electric company must work to meet demand, which translates into increased pollution. Tips for cutting back usage:
- Switch incandescent bulbs for energy saving compact florescent lights (CFLs).
- Hang dry laundry instead of using the dryer.
- Get solar powered or motion censored lights for the yard.
- Open the shades and utilize sunlight to brighten a room.
- Seal cracks and keep doors and windows closed so heat or cool air from central air systems doesn’t exit prematurely causing systems to work harder to hold a temperature.
Products:
Let’s face it. We live in a consumer culture where even if we don’t need something we are often compelled to buy it because maybe we’ll use it later. We also get caught up in the fast paced race of everyday and it becomes routine to use disposables from morning till evening which creates a lot of waste.
- Store food in reusable containers like jars instead of disposables.
- Get a reusable water bottle for the tap or set up a filter if the taste isn’t pleasant and stop using bottled water.
- Hold clothing swaps instead of going to the mall.
- Compost instead of purchasing fertilizer for the garden.
- Make eco-friendly cleaners from household staples such as baking soda, vinegar, and lemon juice.
Transportation:
It’s clear to all of us that gasoline powered vehicles not only cause a lot of pollution but run up our credit card bills. Tips for more eco-friendly transportation:
- Use buses and trains.
- Try finding others heading your way to carpool with.
- Ride a bike.
- Walk.
- Try and work from home.
About the Author: Jakob Barry is a home improvement journalist for Networx.com. He blogs about repurposing and reducing debt for pros across the U.S. like Plano, TX air conditioning contractors and tile instillation in Washington, DC.
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