Green Education: Green 101

Save Energy + Saving the Planet = Saving Money

You may not know it, but there exists a direct link between saving money and saving the planet. The energy you use at home for example has a direct impact on the environment, and the amount of energy consumed at home can either aid in speeding up, slowing down, or even help prevent damage done to the environment. To save energy, it doesn’t take a huge amount of effort and if you have ever stood with a high energy bill in your hand, it may be wise to start saving today.

There are a number of things you can do in and around the home to reduce consumption, as well as your monthly bill without impacting your lifestyle dramatically.

One method to saving is to unplug appliances when not in use or place them on a switch controlled power bar that can be shut off after use.  Leaving appliances in the socket/having power bar active when they’re not being used can add to your energy bill due to the “vampire energy” effect. Even when appliances are not set to the “on” position, they continue to consume small amounts of power. Remembering to pull the plug/switch off the power bar once you are finished with an appliance will easily shave a bit off your energy bill.

Using energy-saving products like light bulbs can also help to dramatically reduce energy consumption. Fluorescent bulbs consume up to 70% less energy than their 80w equivalents, and work just as effectively. It’s also worth your while checking the energy efficiency rating of appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines and dryers before purchase so you can compare energy efficiency. These large appliances make up a considerable amount of the average energy bill and buying an efficient model will prove beneficial in the long run when the energy bill arrives.

If you’re watching television, and find that there’s nothing interesting on, why not turn it off and read something instead? If you have today’s newspaper, a magazine or book in hand, reading a good book can provide a peaceful, quite way to spend a couple of hours and reduce your energy consumption at the same time.

Another way of saving money on your energy bill could involve looking at the prices on offer from rival electricity suppliers such as MoneySuperMarket. By looking on price comparison websites or simply visiting suppliers’ websites, you could find the price that’s right for you, which is usually the lowest price.

reducing energy consumption is good for many reasons such as not only saving you money but it also serves to save our planet. If you and others consume less energy, then there is a greater chance of reversing the damage that has been done to the Earth.

 Photo Credit: Some Rights Reserved by â˜º Lee J Haywood on Flickr

Photo Credit: Some Rights Reserved by NASA Goddard Photo and Video on Flickr

Source: TheEnvironmentalBlog