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Unplugging Your Home & Other Ways To Save Energy

September 7, 2008 in Save Energy by Jennifer | 1 comment

save energy

save energy

The Environmental Defense Organization notes that Americans waste in excess of $1 billion a year due to power waste. It’s not only our wallets that suffer either. Every time we use more energy than needed in our homes, we waste resources and contribute to the greenhouse effect.

Luckily you can take some simple energy saving steps that can both save you money and help protect the earth:

Unplug your house: There’s no reason to leave items plugged in when they’re not in use. Lamps, chargers, the toaster, blender, TV and more all continue to drain energy while plugged in. Unplug when you’re done, to save resources.

Use the right bulb: Energy saving light bulbs can save untold of amounts of energy over time.

Choose the right home appliances: Choose Energy Star products for money and planet saving benefits.

Live small: Live in a home that meets (not overly exceeds) your space requirements. The smaller your home, the less energy it takes to run the house.

Go alternative: Using alternative means of energy, like solar power, can ease the amount of footprint your home personally makes on the earth.

Weatherize: Don’t forget to weatherize properly for summer as well, not just the cold months.

Late night sweeps: Do a late night sweep each evening before bed. Walk through your home, turn off extra lights, and unplug items. Make sure nothing is left on overnight.

How To Live Small

August 23, 2008 in Green Building by Jennifer | 2 comments

Small homes are better for the environment than large homes. Why?

small homes

  • Fewer materials are needed to build.
  • Less resources are usually used – in terms of energy, time, etc.
  • A small house leaves a smaller footprint on the planet.
  • Small homes allow for larger green spaces to be left intact.
  • If you live in a small house, you might be likely to bring in less material goods – and owning less stuff is better for the earth.
  • It takes less energy, water, and other resources to run a small house (in most cases).

How to live smaller and still live large:

  • Make one room your focal point – do you really need a living room, family room, and den? Most likely no.
  • Create an open floor plan. This makes a home look and feel larger than it is.
  • Have tall walls. Tall walls and vaulted ceilings open up a home creating a more spacious feeling.
  • Use natural light. Natural light via windows (even toward the top of walls) counters that normally darker feeling small homes can have. Skylights also work well to open up a small space.
  • Stick with light colored interior paints – sometimes darker colors work, but in a smaller space dark can make small look smaller and less inviting.
  • Open up your plan to include outdoor living. You may only have one living space, but using large wide opening doors leading to a patio space, can create a second, outside living room. Also consider adding large french doors, or pretty sliding doors with a balcony to bedrooms. A balcony takes less space and resources than a whole other room, but really opens up your home plan.

[image via stock.xchng]