Want to go green this St. Patrick’s Day? Start by saving energy, which is a terrific way to be kind to the environment.
Here are ten easy, zero-cost ways to add a little “green” around the house:
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Turn off the lights when you leave the room or go to bed. Lighting an empty room is a waste of resources and money.
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Load up the dishwasher before turning it on. You will use less energy if you run the appliance only when it is full. However, do not overload the dishwasher; water needs room to get between plates, glasses, and silverware to do its best work.
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Wash clothes in cold water. Most of the energy your washing machine uses is for heating water.
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Take showers, not baths. Showers use less water than filling a bathtub. And keep your showers to 10 minutes long to save even more water.
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Unplug appliances when you are not using them. Appliances continue to use small amounts of electricity when plugged in, even if turned off.
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On warm spring days, turn off the heat and open the windows.
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Lower the thermostat on your water heater to 120 degrees. That’s the safe temperature recommended by manufacturers.
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Close the damper of your woodburning fireplace when you’re not using it. An open damper in an unused fireplace sends heated air from your home up the chimney.
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Move furniture away from heating and air-conditioning vents. If you block them, your HVAC system must work harder to heat or cool your house. The harder it works, the more energy it uses.
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Switch the directions in which your ceiling fan blades spin: counterclockwise during the summer and clockwise in the winter.