By: Emily Easley
"Earth" photo provided by www.dayton.hq.nasa.gov
In recent years, Americans have morphed from citizens to consumers. The idea that money will buy our happiness is a common one. But with the earth’s current state, consumers must consider everything they buy, and how it will affect our planet.
With hopes of a green world in the minds of most Americans, energy conservation is not only a trend, but also a necessity. Our peaceful abodes have turned into energy guzzling nightmares.
Change doesn’t have to be hard or time consuming. Try including small tasks in your everyday life that can save the earth and your money. Try making a “To Do Today” list of basic tasks:
• Carpool to Work.
• Take excess weight out of your car’s backseat and trunk.
• Collect your utility bills. Whether it is fuel or electricity, target the biggest bill and create your own energy conservation remedy.
• Turn down the temperature of your water heater to the warm setting (120 degrees Fahrenheit).
• Check if your water heater has an insulating blanket, which can pay for itself in a year or less.
• Use energy-saving setting on refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines and clothes dryers.
• Survey your lights, and replace any incandescent light bulbs to fluorescent bulbs. Fluorescent bulbs use about ¼ the energy of incandescent bulbs to produce the same amount of light.
• Clean or replace your furnace, air-conditioner, and heat-pump filters.
For more innovative, demanding or specific tasks, read the information below to learn how to become more conservative with your energy consumption.
Solar Panels. "Home Solar Power" photo provided by www.nrel.gov. Solar panel systems can supply your home with power and tie directly into your electric company’s power grid. Plus, excess power generated by your solar energy system is sent out onto the grid for others to use and in return your electricity provider will pay you for the wattage generated by your system.
Grid-tied solar panel systems can cost anywhere from $11,150 to $30,000. From a cost savings stand point, solar panel systems are not for everyone. The cost per kilowatt hour for a solar system over its life can be as low as $0.11 per kilowatt hour. Check your electric bill. If you’re paying more then $0.11 per kilowatt hour, a solar system would be a good investment. The initial cost of a solar system can be devastating to your pocket book, but can be well worth the investment.
Wind Power. "Home Wind Turbine" photo provided by www.solaramericacities.energy.gov. A wind turbine collects kinetic energy from the wind and converts it to electricity for your homes electrical system. For most residential home, your electrical needs would be served by both the wind turbine and your local utility provider. When wind speeds are below seven to ten miles per hour there is no output from the turbine and all of the power needed would be purchased from your utility company. As winds pick up, the turbine output would increase meaning less power purchased from your utility company. Similar to solar panels, extra power produced by wind turbines is sold to the utility company.
A small turbine unit can cost $6,000 to $22,000, depending on the size and manufacturer. The amount of money a small turbine can save you depends on its cost, the average wind speed around your home and the amount of electricity you use. A wind turbine commonly reduces your electric bill by 50 to 90 percent. Typically, wind turbine owners with total-electric homes have monthly utility bills of $8 to $15 for nine months of the year. In states such as Washington, Oregon, and Idaho where less air conditioning is used, the bills can be very low year-round.
Alternative Fuels. "Alternative Fuels" provided by www.fueleconomy.gov. Alternative fuels can be produced domestically and some are produced from renewable sources. The domestically produced fuels lower our dependence on imported oil and fuels produced form renewable sources often give off less pollution then gas and diesel.
Ethanol is a domestically produced product from corn and other crops that releases less greenhouse gas emissions than conventional fuels.
Biodiesel produces less air pollutants than petroleum-based diesel and is made from vegetable oils and animal fats.
Natural Gas generates less air pollutants and greenhouse gases and is a fossil fuel.
Propane, also known as liquefied petroleum gas, is domestically produced in abundance. This fossil fuel generates less harmful air pollutants and greenhouse gases.
Hydrogen can be domestically produced from fossil fuels (such as coal), nuclear power, or renewable resources (hydropower). Fuel cell vehicles powered by pure hydrogen emit no harmful air pollutants.
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