Tips on How to Conserve Energy While Saving Money and Helping the Environment

Conserving energy is a big concern for everyone these days - if not for the sake of helping the environment, then for the sake of saving money on utility bills. One myth about greening your home is that it takes a lot of money to start with or that you have to buy all-new appliances if you want it to make any difference. That's simply not true. Here are six easy ways you can "green" your home without paying an exorbitant amount.

1. Stop Using Paper Towels
You can keep a couple around for emergency spills, but for house cleaning and regular use, go for cloth washrags. Keep a lot of cloth rags on hand so that you always have one handy when you need it, then just toss the dirty ones in with the laundry whenever you do a load.

2. Unplug Unused Electronics
Even when your electronics are off, they can still consume lots of energy if they're plugged in. Save on your electric bill by unplugging your laptop, phone, and even your TV when they're turned off or you're not using them.  


3. Use Windows to Heat and Cool Your Home
Keep the curtains and blinds open in the winter to let the sunshine in and heat your house. Of course, in the summer, go ahead and close those curtains. Even this small change can make a difference in how far you have to turn up the heating and cooling in your home.

4. Switch to Energy-Efficient Light Bulbs
Buy packs of compact fluorescent light bulbs from your grocery store or from online retailers like Genesis Lamp, and start replacing the bulbs around the house. These save an incredible amount of energy. Depending on how many lights you have in your home and how often you turn them on, you may see a drastic reduction in your utilities bills.

5. Adjust Your Fridge Temperature
Most homes don't actually have their refrigerators and freezers at the right temperature: 37-40 degrees Fahrenheit for the fridge and 0-5 for the freezer. A lot of families have them set too cold, and even just a 10-degree difference can use a massive amount of unnecessary energy.

6. Use the Dishwasher
This may seem like a surprising statistic, but running a full load of dishes uses much less water than doing the same amount of dishes by hand - especially if you have an energy-efficient machine. If you only have a few dishes, go ahead and wash them in the sink, but when the counters are piled full, you'll be better off using the dishwasher.