Save Money By Going Green: Save Energy
Going green doesn’t just save the outside world; it also can save the hard-earned money in your bank account. This week, we’re dispensing advice about one of the more self-interested aspects of being green: keeping your cash.Tip #2: Turn Off the Light
We’ve heard the admonishment many times: “Turn off the light when you leave the room,” but it bears repeating; sometimes we forget just how money- and energy-saving that little green action can be. Leaving six 100-watt bulbs burning for 10 hours per day wastes about $200 annually. Put that sum into a CD with 5% interest, and you’ll have more than $2,600 in 10 years. Plus, leaving the light on funds coal-burning companies.
Earth Hour, a global effort to turn the lights out for an hour, resulted in a 10% energy-usage drop worldwide last year; in Chicago alone, that prevented 420 tons of carbon dioxide from being emitted. (While you're at it, remember to turn off your computer at night.)Tell us: What are your favorite cost-effective ways to save energy?