How Greener Can The Other Side Be?

Are you one of those who constantly think of ways to conserve energy and save more in the process? Here are a few options you can use to save more on your power bills. Heat or cool your home less. Drive or fly fewer miles. Run electrical equipment less and run less water since pumping water takes lots of electricity. Buy more locally grown food and goods that are manufactured nearby; they’re typically made with cleaner U.S. manufacturing processes, and companies use less fuel to transport them. For appliances buy the most energy-efficient devices you can afford. Look for appliances with the Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star Label. Since 1992 the EPA says that is has help save Americans an estimated 14 Billion dollars on energy bills. The EPA has over four dozen types of products in its program. That includes everything from a DVD player to an air conditioner. The EPA also allows you to monitor your savings with the use of its website calculator so you can create a customize plan for reducing your environmental impact. The biggest annual energy impact in your household comes from climate-control systems (45%), Water heating (13%) and followed by your refrigerator (8%). By using a 25-watt compact fluorescent light bulb vs. using a conventional 100-watt bulb is the equivalent of saving 100 pounds of carbon dioxide. Moving your thermostat 2 degrees either up or down can reduce your energy usage by 1%. Houses that are well sealed and insulated, including heat ducts, use less energy because the furnace does not have work as hard. The easiest way to cut emission from your car is to drive less and use more public transportation and if you must drive consider car pooling. I know that saving money is on everyone’s mind. Discipline and having a plan in place can play a vital role in reducing your energy usage.

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Solar Energy Is Gaining In Popularity And Usage.

Solar energy is becoming more popular by the minute. Besides providing electricity for residential homes, solar power is being used for water heaters to carports. Die-hard conservationist for the most part primarily used solar energy. There are examples of huge savings associated with solar energy.
Case in point: A elderly couple from Long Beach, CA had solar panels installed at their residence. They essentially cut their power bills from $400.00 a month to a mere $1.34. California is one of the most aggressive in offering consumer credits to use solar energy. Solar Energy Industries Association trade group advise consumers to check out installers through their web site, www.seia.org and to make sure the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners certifies them. Companies like Solar City help make high cost of solar systems more user friendly.
Solar City help consumers with remote monitoring of solar production to ensure that the consumer is getting the most out of their solar systems. One option for homeowners who find installation a bit costly is to lease a solar system. Some companies plans to start selling carports covered with photovoltaic cells to generate power for the home and hybrid cars.
Canada’s EnerWorks Inc. introduces older-thermal technology with newer products. They’re marketing a solar thermal water heater called the Space-Saver, which is designed to cut power bills while taking up less room than a traditional heater. The most economical approach is to purchase a new home that is already equipped with solar panels. Lennar Corp is expected to build 2,500 homes in California in partnership with SunPower Corp based in San Jose, CA. Lennar officials say the sales rate for their solar homes is running almost three times greater than conventional ones in a down market.
With other natural resources being stretched thin coming up with a new source of energy is important. Solar energy is a great way to save money while conserving our planet’s environment from pollution


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