by EatandLiveGreen

The kids might have thought me to be a bit annoying through the years when I would insist on them turning off the lights, radio or television and anything else they left on before they left the room. If they were on the computer and the television was on behind their back with no one watching it, I would insist they turn it off unless they are watching it face to face with the darn thing.

I bought power strip cords and have three main ones we use for high energy use areas; at the computer desk and two entertainment center areas in our apartment. In the kitchen I keep all small appliances like the toaster, mixer, can opener unplugged because we aren’t using it all the time. When we are going to use it that’s when we plug it in and unplug it after use; works great for coffee pots too unless you have a clock on it.

I cut back on the electricity by using power strips and keeping items unplugged when they weren’t in use. I also wash my laundry in cold water. I averaged out the extra shower use cost an additional $ 20 dollars to the bill, but that was fine because I had so many saving from washing the clothes in cold water and washing full loads of clothes at a time. Big savings in all the small stuff I would do to save money.

I even went as far as to put a note up in the main bathroom that said, “Please make sure the shower water isn’t left dripping and Please turn off the light when you leave.” The kids might have thought me a pain but it stopped the dripping facet in the shower from being left to drip all day and the light would be off.

I use a night light in the bathroom during the day and when I go in there the night light is on so I don’t have to turn on the bright lights when I can see perfectly fine with the small night light plugged in above the toilet. I don’t expect anyone else to use it that way but I do for quick trips in there and I can see perfectly fine. I do use the lights but if I’m going in and out real fast I can see with enough light.

Another thing I do is there are four big round lights above my bathroom mirrors. I lightly unscrew three of them so they don’t turn on and then I only use one of the bright light bulbs. One light bulb is enough because it is a high volt light bulb that gives off plenty of bright light. I don’t need to be blinded by light and when one light bulb burns, out then I just turn the other bulb nearest it back on.

Nobody has ever complained that it isn’t bright enough in there because they would never know the difference unless they look up to see that three out of four lights aren’t on. I also don’t use the heat light and I have loosened that too so the light is there but it doesn’t come on. That was a waste of electricity and it isn’t cold enough in here ever for it. When I decide to move someday I just have to twist it back on for it to work.

My oldest son’s girlfriend use to come over and use the heat light and when she would leave the bathroom she would leave it on and it might end up being left on for hours. I would open the bathroom door and be hit with this hot heat and very bright lights; one two many times that would happen so I decided heck with this and so I finally unscrewed it just enough where it wouldn’t work since she continued to do that regularly.

That’s when I decided to put the note up in the bathroom about the two other situations with the water being left on to drip all the time and the lights left in there all day long. When you ask people to do something repeatedly and they refuse or forget then try notes. It always works. How can they forget when they have a note to see to remind them? After about two weeks I was able to take down the note and they had formed a habit to do as they were asked. Works wonders.

Being conscious of wasting electricity has to come first to people. It has to register in their mind before they can make a difference. Maybe high electric bills will do it. The good thing is people are more going green for the environment and that is a wonderful thing.

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The topic of renewable energy has been widely discussed in recent years. Indeed, as fossil fuel supplies continue to dwindle and high energy prices are maintained, people are realising the advantages of finding alternative sources of energy. Not only that, but in light of the detrimental effects of burning fossil fuels – coal, oil and natural gas – there are increasing efforts to explore more environmentally-friendly options.

Currently, there’s a worrying amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) being released into the world’s atmosphere. This, say many scientists, is significantly contributing to climate change and global warming. In order to protect the earth from further damage, therefore, people are looking for new, greener sources of electricity and gas, as well as ways to reduce overall energy consumption.

According to research, more than 40 percent of the UK’s man-made CO2 emissions come from the energy people use in their homes and for travel. As a result, there are many new initiatives aimed at encouraging people to personally embrace greener technology and to limit the amount of energy they use in their properties.

Generally speaking, there are two main types of renewable energy available that can be used at home: solar and wind. Solar power, which converts the sun’s natural energy into electricity and heat, is the most popular form of renewable energy and can be relatively easily installed in domestic properties. Not only does it provide people with environmentally-friendly, or green energy, but it also helps to save on bills.

Wind power is also an established form of green power and again can be employed in the home. Basically channelling the power of the wind through the use of mini wind turbines, electricity is generated, which is then fed into the property’s electricity supply. Producing energy in this way is great for the environment and it’s even possible to sell back any excess energy to the power companies: this is also true for surplus solar energy.

If it’s too expensive to install such equipment, it’s always possible to switch to a green energy plan or tariff. There are various options available, such as an energy match, whereby power companies will match each normal unit of electricity used in the home by feeding a unit of renewable energy into the National Power Grid. They may also fund renewable energy projects.

Additionally, there’s a lot that people can do at home, both to conserve energy and to save money. For example, if everyone in Britain with gas or oil central heating installed a condensing boiler with heating controls, it would be possible to save up to 6.7 million tonnes of CO2 from being emitted into the atmosphere annually.

With a bit of thought, everyone can help in the fight against climate change. Embracing renewable energy is a great way to start, as is reducing the amount of gas and electricity being used in the home. And, thinking about this issue now will not only help the environment, but also make a difference to utility bills.

Adam Singleton writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/renewable-energy-and-you-1333551.html

Please Note... All links within articles are placed by their author-owners and not by this blog.Products with in those links may or may not be the best in the world.If it sounds too good to be true it could be a scam.Articles are posted for their info,ideas and or entertainment value only.

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