subject: The Top Ten Ways To Go Green [print this page] When considering going green, many homeowners think of how to incorporate green energy into their home. The installation of solar panels or windmills comes to mind at once; however, there are alternative options available. Investigating all of these alternatives to get green energy into the home may bring the average consumer a pleasant surprise. Economic ideas abound and they can be easily adapted to individual needs.
Active Energy Consumption
1 Do a home "energy needs" study
Providing a green energy source for the entire energy demand of a home can be an expensive and complicated process. Study where energy is used and how it can be segmented and controlled.
2 Combine energy sources
Not all green energy is electricity. Though appliances and electronics need electricity to function, alternatives can be found for household energy spent on heating water or cooking.
3 Change light bulbs
Incandescent light bulbs are harder to find in shops. These bulbs do not make efficient use of the energy they consume. Changing to low-energy local fluorescent bulbs as the incandescent light bulbs burn out will cool the home and save money and energy.
4 Unplug appliances
Many appliances, even when they are not running, draw electricity while plugged in. By unplugging or using special, intelligent breakers that sense when an appliance is not in use, power needs are lowered.
5 Solar heat collectors
Solar hot-water systems, made from copper tubing in solar energy collection systems, can replace gas or electric water heaters.
6 Solar ovens
Consumers with sunny gardens can construct solar ovens using DIY materials and easy-to-follow instructions. With just a few changes in cooking habits, energy consumption can be lowered.
7 Mini-solar battery chargers
Mini-solar panels that charge batteries later used for conservative lighting in the home can help unplug from the local grid.
8 Windmills for pumps
Installing cisterns and wind-powered pumps to fill them can help make a home more environmentally-friendly.
Passive Energy Consumption
9 Purchase vegetables locally
Purchasing food from local growers will cut back on energy used in transporting food long distances.
10 Go organic
In some cases, local farmers may practice organic gardening, growing produce that not only tastes better but also has less impact on the environment in terms of production and use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides.
Bringing green energy into the home is not limited to covering the roof with expensive solar panels, filling a closet with energy-collecting batteries or erecting a domestic windmill in the garden. Green energy is a larger concept that includes understanding where energy is used, how it can be wasted, how best to economise and distribute energy use, and how to respect the many sources of energy available to a home owner.
