Alternative energy has become more popular and many people are able to benefit greatly from the changes they have been making with it. However, you might feel as though you are not ready to switch to another source right now and that is fine. You should know that you can still do things to help conserve power and aid in keeping the planet healthier until you reach the point where you are ready for a larger leap.
Reduce Consumption
One of the best ways to make a tiny adjustment that can make a large difference is to cut back on the amount you are using. According to our friends at buycleanenergy.org,
Every time you flip on a light switch, use your computer, take a hot shower, or turn on your heater, you’re using energy. The average U.S. home uses about 11,000 kWh per year, and a large portion of that energy is wasted.
Most people don’t realize just how much they actually consume. They think that simply turning off the TV at night stops the electricity but it doesn’t. Some of the ways of reducing the waste are easy and other things may seem more difficult. For example, turning off a switch when you leave the room might seem like a small task but what about unplugging your electronics when you are not using them? This can be a bit more difficult. The good news is that you have options. The first one that you have is to buy an inexpensive power strip. You can then plug multiple devices into it and shut complete power off to all of them by flipping just one switch. This helps to save you time and money, while also ensuring that you are not taking any more from the earth than you have to. There are more simple steps you can take as well. For example, on Coaltransition.org, one writer stated that,
Although you may think that your dishwasher promotes waste, it actually utilizes less water than doing the dishes by hand. By utilizing a green dishwasher detergent with low phosphorous, chlorine, and bleach content and only running the dishwasher when it is full, you can save water while reducing the amount of harmful chemicals introduced into the environment.
As you can see washing your dishes by hand actually takes longer and is more wasteful than running them through your helpful appliance. This helps you to understand that helping the earth and reducing your expenses can be easier than you ever really imagined. You can also try things such as: get a water heater that is tankless, make sure your weather stripping fills all gaps, and even switch to florescent light bulbs. What if you have already done all of these things? Where would you go from here?
Larger Advancements
If you are looking to do even more for your environment and reap even more benefits then you can take it one leap further. Erin R. Pierce on energy.gov said,
But what if you’re ready to take a bigger step? If you’ve successfully addressed the low-hanging fruit – like performing energy audits, installing programmable thermostats, and sealing air leaks – it may be time to consider incorporating clean energy into your home energy-saving strategy.
You don’t have to use alternative energy on your whole home initially. Maybe, you only have enough money for a small panel to run a small portion of your home. This is okay and still gets you closer to going completely green while reducing harmful effects on the planet. You can add to it as you have more money. Even better is the fact that you can actually save money by making some of these yourself. It was said best at PRlog.org,
Learn How To Build Solar panel on your own. By building your own solar panel not just can save your money expenses month after month but also you provide a service to some else who want learn how to make a solar panel within your area.
You get the benefit of reducing your expenses and learning something new that can help others in your community with converting as well. Once you know all there is to know about making the revision and changes on your own you will be able to teach others which can help them to really see how they can cut costs now and continue to save more and more in the future by doing so. This is one of the ways that making a small change can have tremendous effects.
It may seem that only one home or just a single person can’t make a change, but you can. When you cut down the consumption at your home and perhaps even start to implement other energy sources for your home you are setting an example. Not only are you showing others it can be done but all the while you are making an impact on the planet. You have taken small steps that lead to big rewards, for you, the world, and others who learn through you. There is never a step that can be considered too little.
Remember that there is nothing wrong with starting out small by simply reducing the amount you use and making minor adjustments to your home when needed. This makes more of a difference than you could ever see before. You don’t have to stop with these changes, though; you can continue to improve upon what you are doing. While improving you are able to save more and more money and also increase the value of your home, because it will become more self sufficient when using an alternative source of energy. You can look at it as an investment instead of an expense. Considering also how much the cost has reduced over the years for things such as solar panels and the fact that you can save more by making and installing them on your own there has never been a better time to make the adjustments you have been considering for quite some time now.
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