The world is no longer a safe place to live.
But YOU can make it safer by acting a little more responsibly and sensibly.
YOUR little contributions toward energy conservation can make big difference for your home, for your family, and for this planet. Discover in this article a few easy ideas to get started in making your planet a better living place for the future generations.
Energy conservation and your environment
By saving energy you can have a fatter bank balance. But more than that, individual efforts for energy conservation mean cleaner and greener society as a whole.
Energy conservation means lowering the demands of such fossil fuels as coal, oil, and natural gas.
Drops in the use of fossil fuels means lower production of pollutants like carbon dioxide - the deadliest of all greenhouse emissions.
Energy conservation - a necessity, not an option
Did you know Americans as a whole expend a million dollars worth of energy every minute, night and day, every day of the year!
A little cut in this expenditure and pollutants are lesser by thousands of pounds!
And on the personal front - you can save a significant dollar amount on your annual energy bills.
Follow the simple steps described below and make the earth a better place for your grand children.
AT HOME - Insulate your walls and ceilings for cutting down 20 to 30 percent on home heating bills. Those living in colder climate should consider super insulating.
- For the same purpose replace the traditional windows with argon filled, double-glazed windows.
- Always use Energy Star certified (high efficiency) appliances for less energy consumption.
- Choose the model size according to your typical needs; don’t opt for the biggest size just because you can afford it.
- Be careful about your electrical appliances-don’t leave your computer, sound system etc in stand by mood. Always switch them off after the use. Consider adding a "smart" power strip to automatically turn off equipment.
- Don’t unnecessary set your refrigerator temperature at an extra ordinary low-set it at a reasonable point. Make sure that its energy saver switch is turned on. For the same reason, turn down your water heater thermostat from 140 degrees F to 120 F.
- Use such appliances as washing machine or dishwasher at their highest capacities.
- Make sure, you don’t overheat or overcool your rooms; always keep the air filters clean.
- Replace your ordinary lighting systems with energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs; they cost more initially, but latter they pay off by using only 1/4 the energy of ordinary lights.
OUTSIDE - Make use of the public transport system wherever possible, or ride your bicycle. By saving just a gallon of gasoline, you are helping to avoid 22 pounds of CO2 emissions.
- When you are buying a new car, opt for the greener models. The cars giving better mileage costs more initially, but in the long run they help you save significantly on your energy bill.
- Avoid elevators and use stairs whenever possible.
- Reuse the things whenever possible to reduce the necessity of recycling.
- Plant shading trees around your home: it works as natural heater or cooling system.
Finally always stay informed about latest environmental issues-both at local as well as national level and vote to office the candidates who generally seem to take a constructive approach toward environmental protection and energy conservation.
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