Doing my part for the environment...
Ok, so I'm not one of these granola-eating, birkenstock-wearing, beard-growing hippie types. I drive a car, I don't knit my own clothes out of hemp, and I eat meat. I wouldn't want to be one of those hippie types. However, I recognize the importance of saving energy, and protecting the environment.
This year, I've been really involved with saving energy and recycling. This spring, I started a "campaign" if you will, to change a bunch of the most frequently used lights in and around the house to compact fluorescents. So far, I've changed about 20, saving an estimated $10-15 a month on electricity. Looking around the house, we now have a lot of appliances that are Energy-Star certified. My computer (well, all the computers now), the dishwasher, the washing machine (actually it's the most efficient one you can buy), the dryer, the TV, the microwave oven, the refrigerator... We even have a programmable thermostat, to save money on heating and cooling. Lets see... I also insulated the hot water pipes, turned down the water temperature, and I close drapes at midday in the summer, to keep the place cooler.
In all honesty, it makes sense to be environmentally friendly. If not out of concern for the planet, then at least out of the desire to save money! I mean, we'd probably be paying an extra 50 bucks or more every month if we were using non-efficient appliances. That's a lot of beer money!
Not only are we saving money, but using less energy helps to reduce pollution generated from power plants as well. So, I'm taking these little steps, but I always wonder what else I can be doing. I always feel like I can be doing more...
What I'd like to do is save energy and reduce waste, but without causing a great deal of personal sacrifice. The way I figure, if saving the environment is easy and comfortable, the more people will do it. It's just a bonus if it ends up putting more money in your pocket too!
This year, I've been really involved with saving energy and recycling. This spring, I started a "campaign" if you will, to change a bunch of the most frequently used lights in and around the house to compact fluorescents. So far, I've changed about 20, saving an estimated $10-15 a month on electricity. Looking around the house, we now have a lot of appliances that are Energy-Star certified. My computer (well, all the computers now), the dishwasher, the washing machine (actually it's the most efficient one you can buy), the dryer, the TV, the microwave oven, the refrigerator... We even have a programmable thermostat, to save money on heating and cooling. Lets see... I also insulated the hot water pipes, turned down the water temperature, and I close drapes at midday in the summer, to keep the place cooler.
In all honesty, it makes sense to be environmentally friendly. If not out of concern for the planet, then at least out of the desire to save money! I mean, we'd probably be paying an extra 50 bucks or more every month if we were using non-efficient appliances. That's a lot of beer money!
Not only are we saving money, but using less energy helps to reduce pollution generated from power plants as well. So, I'm taking these little steps, but I always wonder what else I can be doing. I always feel like I can be doing more...
What I'd like to do is save energy and reduce waste, but without causing a great deal of personal sacrifice. The way I figure, if saving the environment is easy and comfortable, the more people will do it. It's just a bonus if it ends up putting more money in your pocket too!