Practicing a waste-not, want-not philosophy not only saves money, but also helps protect the world’s energy resources. Whether you set up a recycling system or cut back on plastic, there are a number of ways to save energy without blowing your budget. Below are some changes I have made in my own home. Make one-or all- of these simple practices part of your routine.
Use energy-saving light bulbs throughout your home. This is the quickest, cheapest and easiest way to decrease the amount of energy you use. Compact fluorescent light bulbs last ten times longer than standard incandescent bulbs and produce more light per watt.
Install a programmable thermostat. You can save 5-15% on your yearly heating bill by turning your thermostat back 10 degrees for eight hours. No need to heat or cool the house while you’re at work, and the best part is that you can program it to be the desired temperature by the time you get home every day.
Add weather stripping around windows and doors. Door thresholds, window caulking and plastic window film are inexpensive, can be found at your local Lowe’s or Home Depot and cut down on air leaks.
Don’t heat or cool unused areas. No one is ever in our guest bedrooms, so I keep the vents and doors closed to avoid heating or cooling rooms we don’t use. Draft guards under doors also help prevent heat from escaping.
Reduce your water temperature. Heating water accounts for approximately 15% of your energy bill. Lower the temperature of the water heater to warm and save a chunk of change on your next energy bills.
Slow the flow on your faucet. Attach a low-flow aerator to your kitchen faucet to mix air into the stream and cut water usage without affecting pressure. I bought mine at the local Ace Hardware for less than $10. Be sure to buy one with a flow rate of 2.2 gallons per minute or less, which saves more water.
Ditch your paper towels. Sure, paper towels and disposable wipes are handy, however, to clean kitchen surfaces and dishware, keep a stack of machine-washable dishcloths nearby. Throw them in the wash when you’re done and use them over and over again.
Use your dishwasher. Dishwashers use less water than doing dishes by hand. However, only run it when full and use the most energy-efficient setting – for example, light rather than heavy wash and air dry instead of heated. Don’t pre-rinse before loading-it wastes up to 20 gallons of water per load.
Buy in bulk. You don’t really need those green peppers shrink-wrapped to a Styrofoam tray, do you? When grocery shopping, avoid overly packaged and single-serving products-these items are more expensive and the packaging cannot be recycled.
Use daylight wisely. Open curtains on south, east and west-facing windows during the day when the sun is shining and close them at night. Insulated draperies and shades can cut heat loss.
