The cost of energy and resources are often overlooked when trying to save on household expenses. Many people do not realize that energy and resource costs are a significant chunk of household expenditure. A few adjustments in behavior and supplies can save you money on your energy and resources bill. It will also help the environment by consuming fewer products that pollute the planet.
Step 1
Change your light bulbs. Fluorescent light bulbs might cost more than incandescent bulbs, but they last ten times longer and only use a quarter of the electricity. Switch all the light bulbs in your home to fluorescent bulbs and they will pay for themselves within a few months.
Step 2
Turn off the lights. Even fluorescent light bulbs use electricity. Get in the habit of turning off your lights when you are not home or leave a room for an extended period of time. Lighting empty rooms is wasteful.
Step 3
Unplug electronic devices not in use. Anything plugged into an electric socket uses electricity even if it is switched off. Televisions, computers and appliances that are not used on a daily basis should be unplugged until needed. This is also true of chargers for cellular phones, iPods and other rechargeable devices. If you don't want to constantly unplug your electronic devices, use a power strip.
Step 4
Moderate the thermostat. Unnecessarily heating your home in the winter and cooling in the summer wastes an immense amount of energy. In the winter, bundle up and set your thermostat to 68 degrees F. In the summer, wear shorts and set your thermostat at 78 degrees F.
Step 5
Buy products with less packaging. Family-sized packages are less expensive per serving size and use less packaging. This uses fewer resources and reduces the impact on the environment. Reusable grocery bags are also a better use of resources than paper or plastic bags.
Step 6
Recycle whenever you can. This is not limited to aluminum cans and newspaper. Use the back of junk mail for scratch paper. Use plastic food containers to store leftovers. Using an item more than once is the best way to make the most of resources.
Step 7
Fix your dripping faucets. This wastes thousands of gallons of water every year. Not only does this increase your water bill, it also wastes electricity. All the water that comes into your home must be pumped in, pumped out and cleaned. Using less water is one of the best ways to preserve resources.
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