Simple Energy Saving Solutions

As a society, we seem to eschew simplicity in favor of technology. Here are some simpler approaches.

Want to save energy on heating and cooling? Adjust the thermostat up in summer and down in winter and dress appropriately--shorts and a tshirt are great for summer at home and wear a sweater in the winter. Use a programmable thermostat. Add insulation.

Turn off the air conditioner in favor of a fan and better air circulation through open windows and doors--remember heat rises--thick walls and cooling towers have worked for centuries all over the world. They still work when properly applied.

Need to save on gas and lower your carbon footprint? Walk or take public transportation. Ride a bicycle to get there. If it is a trip longer than that consider buying a smaller Vespa type scooter or a smaller car. While you are looking at smaller cars, don't forget to look at the new cleaner burning diesels.

Smaller houses use less resources. Period. That doesn't mean that they are necessarily less expensive monetarily in the short run. But using better materials, more insulation,careful efficient design, properly sized system will not only conserve resources but you will save many times what you spend over the life of the home.

'Do not forget the small stuff like fluorescent light bulbs and using recycled products. A return to cloth napkins will save many trees....you are going to do laundry anyway and they are not going to add enough to a load to increase the amount of water and soap (soap NOT detergent) you use.

See, it IS easy being green.

 

2 Comments on Simple Energy Saving Solutions

I agree, there are so many things we can do. 

Here are a couple more ideas:

Don't turn the light on if light from the window is enough and remember to turn it off when you leave the room.

If you live in an area that cools down at night, open the windows and let the cool air in, then close them as soon as it begins to warm the next morning.  We have been able to keep our home cool enough that we haven't even used the AC yet this year.

Turn off the water while brushing your teeth or loading the dish washer.

06/23/2007 11:51 PM by Vera Gleason (ReMax All Stars Realty)

Thanks Vera. You are right. these are some really basic ideas that people often forget. Technology is not a bad thing either. I know people who still wash dishes by hand because they do not understand (or believe) that today's dishwashers actually use less water than handwashing and they certainly get dishes cleaner because of the high temperature or the water. Just remember to turn off the "heted dry" feature! 

06/24/2007 11:23 AM by Deb Hurt, ABR, e-Pro, EcoBroker, TRC (Exit Realty of Albuquerque)

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Real Estate Agent: Deb Hurt, ABR, e-Pro, EcoBroker, TRC (Exit Realty of Albuquerque)
Deb Hurt, ABR, e-Pro, EcoBroker, TRC
Albuquerque, NM
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Exit Realty of Albuquerque

Office Phone: (505) 296-7700
Cell Phone: (505) 321-0562
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My blog is as much about a philosophy of life and living as it is about real estate as a business. E.F. Shumacher subtitled his book SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL "Economics as if People Mattered" In the real estate industry we realize that people matter and that where they live matters. We now also have a larger responsiblity, I believe, to get them to consider HOW they live. Everyone in the developed world using less energy and resources makes it possible for those who have access to neither to experience a better life and to make the difference between their being able to having a roof overhead or not or for their children to eat or not. 


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