It's the Little Things That Count for Green Living

If you are one of the many people out there who wants to help protect the earth from pollution, then learning how to green your home is a project that will be very rewarding, and may even get you compliments from others who are also similarly ecologically minded. There's always a myth circulating the net that living green is always going to cost a lot more than regular product purchasing and regular as any environmentally conscious individual can tell you, green living is a great way to save money in the long run if you do it the right way. The one rule you have to remember is that it's the little things that count the most. To change the way your home runs without too much trouble, here are some quick and easy green living 101:

Start re-using your old goods.
Jars, bottles, and other used items can be repurposed and reused for a variety of different arts and crafts. Every jar and bottle that you reuse is a jar or bottle that does not end up in a landfill.

Consider starting up a new hobby or two.
Hobbies like gardening or starting your own compost heap are very green-friendly, and can help put your family on the right track to a health-conscious lifestyle. This also helps cut down on the amount of waste that ends up in garbage dumps that could potentially help the environment.

Start switching your light bulbs.
Normal incandescent lights can actually be very detrimental to the environment, and not only because of the waste that they leave behind once they have stopped being useable. They eat up energy, too! If you want to get the most out of the lights that you have in your home, make sure to invest in some best quality LED lights that are energy-saving and eco-friendly. They can often mimic daylight if used the right way, and they also have the added benefit of being excellent accent lights that last for years at a time.

Consider switching your detergents.
Your laundry detergent, as well as your dishwashing detergent, might be some of the least environmentally friendly items that you use almost every day. If you want to avoid causing potentially dangerous chemicals to leak into your local rivers and oceans, you may want to consider switching your detergents to some Earth-friendly options instead.

Recycle whenever you can.
It may seem like nothing, but one can that makes it to the recycling bin is a can that does not end up taking space in a landfill for the next hundred years. Every can that is correctly sorted will make a huge impact one day or another. Reduce, reuse, and recycle!

Every day that you go about your housekeeping tasks is a day where you can start showing mother Earth how much you care. So, why not start with changing all the little things, and then make a decision on whether or not you are ready for the bigger things later on?

Smaller Energy Bills and Bigger Wallet for This Winter

Winter. For many of us, the season means holiday shopping, hot chocolate, and time spent with friends and family. For those of us who love saving energy, the winter season also means that there are many ways to save money by conserving energy. Check out these top 10 tips below:

1. Air seal and insulate your home: you can prevent heat from escaping or cold from entering your home – lowering your heating bills – by insulating and air sealing your home.
2. Use a programmable thermostat: you can reduce your waste heat by using a programmable thermostat that can reduce the heat at a specific time when you're away from the home and increase the heat before you get back for dinner.
3. Install ENERGY STAR doors and windows: doors and windows are places where cold/warm air can easily come through, so by installing energy efficient doors and windows, you can save energy and money with their better quality insulation.
4. Use LED holiday lights: Light emitting diodes, or LEDs, are at least 75% more efficient and last up to 25 times longer than traditional incandescent lights. By using Christmas LED lights, you can be at ease knowing that you won't be spending a bundle to keep those lights on.
5. Turn off the lights: If you're out on vacation this winter, you can save energy by making sure the lights are turned off. 
6. Use lighting controls: you can save additional money on your electricity bill by using motion sensor, gu10 led dimmable lights and timer controls.
7. Lower the water heater: one significant way to reduce energy consumption if you're away on vacation is to simply lower the water heater. If you'll be gone three or more consecutive days, set the water heater to the lowest or 'vacation' setting if there is one.
8. Unplug electronics: when you are away, unplug those kitchen appliances, DVDs, TVs, and computers to save energy and money. These electronics, when plugged in, use up energy even when they are turned off. Here are some more tips.
9. Use a power strip: if the idea of running around the home to unplug everything is a bit too much, use power strips to plug in multiple appliances, and then turn it all off with the flip of the power strip switch.
10. Adjust the blinds and curtains: last but not least, another useful way to conserve energy while on vacation is to lower the blinds and curtains. Close your curtains and shades at night to protect against cold drafts; open them during the day to let in warming sunlight.

Hope it will help you save big for your energy and electricity costs in this winter!

From: energy.gov