Want To Save Money And The Environment?
People often look for ways to keep a little extra cash in their wallets. Here are 10 ways you can save money and help the environment while doing so.
1. Change your Lightbulbs to Energy Efficient CFL or LED Bulbs
On average 12 percent of a homeowner’s energy expenses goes towards lighting. An inexpensive and easy way to reduce your energy bill and your environmental impact are to replace all your home’s light bulbs with LED and CFL bulbs, which use 75 less electricity than standard light bulbs. These newer bulbs also last up to 25 times longer than their standard light bulbs counterparts, which means fewer of them end up in a landfill. Another benefit of these bulbs that is often overlooked is the amount of heat they emit. Standard bulbs emit a lot of heat, which means your air conditioner must run harder in the summer to compensate. CFL and LED lights emit less heat, thus both directly and indirectly saving even more energy.
2. Turn Off your Lights
Turn off the lights of the rooms in your house that are not in use. This simple act can save you hundreds of dollars a year. According to a study conducted by the Imperial College London, turning off lights can reduce energy consumption up to 60 percent. This also translates to thousands of pounds of carbon dioxide prevented from being released into the atmosphere.
3. Connect your Appliances and Devices to Power Strips
Most appliances, even while turned off consume energy and this consumption will be reflected in your electricity bill. Computers, Printers, Televisions, phone chargers, coffee makers microwaves, gaming consoles and just about any modern device will draw power even when they are turned off. If you plug the devices into a power strip and turn it off when not in use, you can save up to 10% on your energy bill.
4. Pay your Bills Online
This one is also a real sanity saver, instead of calling or mailing your payment, just pay it online. This small act can help reduce your carbon footprint by eliminating unnecessary trips for the mailman to make. This is also a more practical method to pay for bills, because of the paper and time saved.
5. Repurpose Glass and Plastic Containers
The glass jars you get from pickle jars, the plastic containers you get from chocolate power containers, and any old plastic and glass container has a lot of opportunity for more usage. A great idea for these empty containers is bulk storage. Some people even go as far to use these jars as aesthetic features in their kitchen.
6. Go Thrift Shopping
A sort of hipster fad, but also a great way to save money and help support your local economy. Thrift stores like Goodwill offer a tremendous selection of clothing and occasionally electronic devices. In my own personal experience, I have been able to get new and fashionable clothes for next to nothing.
7. Wash your Laundry in Cold Water
According to Energy Star, almost 90% of the energy consumed by a washing machine goes towards heating water. Making the switch from hot or warm water to cold water washing saves that energy. Each home that completes the switch from warm to cold water, frees up about 1,600 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions a year, according to the Sierra Club.
Properly inflated tires improve your gas mileage by up to 3%. It also aids to use the correct motor oil grade and to keep your engine tuned. Fixing faulty oxygen sensors can increase fuel efficiency by up to 40%. Driving at a reasonable speed (say driving at the speed limit) can help also with your car’s fuel economy. And not accelerating above two thousand RPM can also help save you trips to the pump.
It has been estimated up to 29% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions is a consequence from the “provision of goods,” which just means the extraction of natural resources, manufacturing, transport, and final disposal of manufactured goods which encompasses consumer products and packaging, building components, and vehicles. By buying used products and reselling or recycling items you no longer use, you dramatically reduce your carbon footprint from the “provision of goods.”
10. Using Less Water
Conserve water in your home by installing low-flow toilets and shower heads designed specifically to reduce water waste. Turn off the water when you are brushing your teeth or standing in front of the mirror to shave. Although leaving the water on may be a long-ingrained habit, shutting it off during these activities can help save thousands of gallons of water every year, as well as the energy required to treat and heat it.
Saving Money is not hard and doing so will help reduce your impact on the environment.