One of the surest ways to slow the rapid progress of climate change and global warming is to consider how we use energy in our homes. Sure, the major sources of greenhouse gases and emissions are industrial facilities, but right on their heels is the energy industry – and that means the rest of us.
When we take a look around the home it is really easy to see where some money saving and Earth friendly changes can occur. For example, have you considered swapping out a few incandescent bulbs with those known as CFLs (compact fluorescent light bulbs)? While many people frown on the difference in price between the older (cheaper) models and the newer CFLs, the fact of the matter is that the old 60-Watt bulb is going to use 75% more electricity during its relatively short life span. This translates to higher energy costs and the need to replace the bulb sooner. A 20-Watt CFL is going last around ten times longer than its incandescent cousin and save tons of money.
Okay, so there are the lights, but what about the switches? Energy dollars even escape through the empty spaces behind wall plugs and switches, and simply installing slim draft stoppers cuts down on heating/cooling losses.
Clearly, there are many ways that every single household is going to be able to live a lot greener and save money. Is there a more streamlined approach to making the changes? Actually, the GoGreenItems website sells pre-packaged green kits for the home, and covers such comprehensive systems as water, electric, and gas. The kits even come in environmentally friendly packaging too.
This article appears in Feb 3-9, 2010.