Top 10 free green tips to live by:
Green tip number 1:
In the warmer months, it is a great time to get those clothes out on the line. You will be saving money on your electric bill in a couple of ways. The first and most obvious reason is old mother nature. She is more than happy to let you keep all your money and dry all your clothes for free. As we all know, free is always a best way to go. The second reason is that your dryer is creating a lot of heat to get your clothes nice and dry. So then your poor air conditioner has to work extra hard to keep your home nice and cool.
Green tip number 2:
We suggest getting a rain barrel to save all of that free water that mother nature gives us. We know times are tough and money is very tight right now, so here are some ways to get a barrel for very cheap or even for free. Try to ask your local car wash or asphalt plant if they have any empty soap barrels. They usually will give them away for free. Also try to go to your local county or a local soda pop (coke, pepsi, etc.) distributor. We have heard that they will often sell plastic barrels for around $5. For the video and instructions on how to install your rain barrel, click HERE
Green tip number 3:
Simply unplug your electronics when you are not using them. This is a simple and free way to save money every month on your electrical bill. Most electronics today continue to draw electricity even when you shut them off. This is because when you shut them off, they go into a mode called stand-by mode. So for items like your cell phone charger, dvd players, video game consoles, computers, etc., it is just better to unplug them to save some green. Just beware that items like an older T.V. might need to be reset if they loose power.
Green tip number 4:
In the winter months, open your blinds and drapes to let the solar rays in during the day. As you open your blinds on the south side of your home, the sun will warm up you room with solar radiant heat. But make sure that you close those blinds and drapes at night to help keep your heat in the room. They will act as a great insulator, and best of all it is completely free.
Green tip number 5:
In the summer months, keep your blinds closed to help keep your rooms cool. As the sun's rays enters the rooms, the radiant heat will increase the inside temperature making your air conditioner or fans work that much harder which we all know that will only raise your electric bill.
Green tip number 6:
During the colder months, simply open your oven door after cooking to let the heat out. The heat will only last a few minutes, but it will make a difference in the room.
Green tip number 7:
Try washing most of your clothes in cold water. Sometimes you just need to use hot water to get out a bad stain out. If you do, you might want to save all of those clothes and do that load at one time. But most of the time you will have big savings by using the cold setting on your washer. On the average you will be saving around 35 cents per load. That is one tip that will add up very fast.
Green tip number 8:
Lowering your thermostat by one degree will make a difference. For each degree you lower your thermostat, you will save anywhere in the range of 3% to about 5%. But if you really want to save on your heating bill next winter, try making your own solar air heater.
Green tip number 9:
Turn off your dish washer in the drying cycle. After your dishes are done with the wash cycle, shut off the dish washer and open the door to let your dishes air dry.
Green tip number 10:
Stop buying all of that expensive bottled water. A bottle of water can cost from .99 cents to $2.00 or even higher. If you check your water bill you may notice that you are paying around $3.05 per 1000 gallons . That is just crazy to pay that much for water. Not to mention how much fuel it takes to ship all of that water all around the country and all of that plastic in the land fills. If you truely do not like the taste of your tap water, you might want to buy a water filter for your sink. Some people also find it convenient to buy a filter water pitcher so they can have cold water without having to run the sink for a few minutes. This tip will save you big money and also really help out the environment.
