Though going all-out green will take some capital investment and require significant lifestyle changes, there are also relatively easy and inexpensive steps that most people can take. Here, then, are the top 10 tips for greening up your lifestyle:
Switch to a programable thermostat.
Invest in a programmable thermostat, which costs about $50, and turn the temperature down as low as you can bear at night while your family is warm under the covers and during the day while they're at work and school. On weekends when you sleep in later, give your furnace a little more sleep, too.
Insulate. Only about 20 percent of houses built before 1980 have adequate insulation, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. At a minimum, insulate the attic; it keeps your heat where it belongs in the house. Do-it-yourselfers can buy sheets of insulation at home improvement stores. Don't forget to insulate your water heater; this can reduce heat loss up to 45 percent. Pre-cut jackets typically cost less than $20; choose one with an insulating value of at least R-8.
Recycle. Recycling saves energy needed to create new materials and cuts down on landfill waste. In some communities, waste fees vary by how many trash containers are used; start recycling and see how little actual trash you throw away.
Use compact fluorescent lightbulbs. Using these funny-looking bulbs is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to cut energy consumption and reduce greenhouse gases. If every American home replaced just one bulb with a compact fluorescent, it would save enough energy to light more than 2.5 million homes for a year and prevent greenhouse gases equal to the emissions of nearly 800,000 cars, according to Energy Star. These bulbs cost more than incandescent bulbs around $3 but last much longer and use about 75 percent less electricity, ultimately saving consumers about $30 per bulb.
