5 Simple Ways to Make Your House More Green
By Courtney Fahey, Avery Peterson, & Sean Thomas
Energy efficiency is of most importance today with growing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and higher costs of energy. Here are some tips on how to make your house more eco-friendly:
- Pay Your Bills Online. By opting out of bills by mail, you are cutting down on the amount of paper that ends up in landfills. Most companies offer an online option to pay your bills; all you have to do is log on to your account online and change your preferences. Not only will it be more efficient for the environment, it will also be more efficient for you!
- Seal Your Windows and Doors. Older homes have gaps in windows and doors which allows for the hot or cold air to escape, causing a much higher heating and air conditioning bill. By sealing the windows and doors, you can save money on your bills and not use as much energy. This can be easily done by putting weather stripping around the windows and doors that can be found at any hardware store.
- Start Using LED Light Bulbs. LED light bulbs can be up to 80% more energy efficient than traditional lighting sources. An LED light bulb can last for more than 10 years, saving you time and money. Also, less energy is wasted as heat, therefore better for the environment and your home.
- Start a Composting Bin. Many food scraps that people throw away daily can actually be discarded in your own personal compost bin. This way, less organic food waste ends up in landfills and less emission of harmful gasses from those landfills. The compost can create rich soil that can help you in your garden.
- Unplug Your Devices When You Aren’t Using Them. It is easy to leave our everyday appliances plugged into the wall, think toasters, chargers, and lamps. These items are just wasting energy whenever you are out of the house. Unplug them while you are gone to save energy for the environment and also money on your power bill.
