Going green can help save the planet, money

By John Schooler

A green, eco-friendly revolution is occurring worldwide. Air, water and land are becoming cleaner, and energy conservation is increasing.

Ultimately, the green movement is designed to conserve the world’s vast biological diversity.

It also can help save some of your hard-earned money.

Going green includes a variety of preventive measures to combat adverse effects of pollution. For instance, limiting energy consumption reduces pollution, which, in turn, saves you money.

By marginally decreasing energy consumption at home, we can drastically reduce our energy bills while contributing to the planet’s well being.

Elizabeth Rogers’ and Thomas M. Kostigen’s New York Times bestseller The Green Book provides a number of tips on how we can become environmentally friendlier. Here are a few:

• Use a microwave rather than a traditional electric oven; microwaves are 3.5 to 4.8 times more energy efficient.
• When light bulbs burn out, replace them with compact fluorescent bulbs, which are optimal for saving energy.
• Buy Energy Star appliances and electronics; they can save up to $600 a year in energy costs. Learn more at https://www.energystar.gov.
• Consider using laptops rather than desktop computers. Laptops use less energy than desktops - more than 50 percent less.
• Invest in a solar water heater and save up to $450 per year in energy costs. The energy savings and tax credits can pay for the price of one such heater in just three years. Learn more at https://www.solardirect.com/swh/swh.htm. You also can wrap your water heater in an insulating blanket and store heat; set the thermostat no higher than 120 degrees and save up to 25 percent of the energy used in your home.
• When you leave the house, close the shades. This will keep it warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.
• Use ceiling fans instead of air conditioners. Ceiling fans cost one penny per hour to run, compared with 16 cents per hour for room air conditioners and 43 cents per hour for central air.

In addition to conserving energy at home, you can contribute to the green revolution by doing such simple things as opting not to receive an ATM receipt. Ask to be removed from junk mail lists; the average U.S. household receives 1.5 trees’ worth of junk mail. For $1, you can register with the mail preference service at
www.dmaconsumers.org/cgi/offmailinglist

and reduce the amount of junk mail you receive. Paper is a tremendous source of waste and overuse of paper contributes greatly to deforestation and pollution.

Conserve the planet and your money. Go green.