Many people fear that going green will cost them more money, however we have put together a comprehensive guide on how going green can actually save you money. Just think not only will you be saving money but you will also be reducing your carbon footprint. A single individual creates thousands of pounds of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases every year.
Carbon dioxide is the human-produced greenhouse gas that contributes most of radiative forcing from human activity. CO2 is produced by fossil fuel burning and other human activities such as cement production and tropical deforestation and is one of the primary causes of global warming. Global warming is the increase in the average temperature of the Earth's near-surface air and oceans since the mid-20th century and its projected continuation. Global surface temperature increased 0.74 ± 0.18 °C (1.33 ± 0.32 °F) during the last century. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concludes that most of the observed temperature increase since the middle of the 20th century is caused by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases resulting from human activity such as fossil fuel burning and deforestation.
In return, an increase in global temperature will cause sea levels to rise and will change the amount and pattern of precipitation, probably including expansion of subtropical deserts. The continuing retreat of glaciers, permafrost and sea ice is expected, with warming being strongest in the Arctic. Other likely effects include increases in the intensity of extreme weather events, species extinctions, and changes in agricultural yields.
Here is a list of some useful cost saving and greenhouse gas reducing tips:
Save on your energy bill:
- Turning lights off when you leave a room
- Put your computer in sleep mode when not in use, in return your computer will use 90% less energy!
- Consider installing solar panels, the upfront cost will be offset by years ahead of savings
- Install double or triple pane windows and thermal doors with tight seals to keep the heat and cold out, in the temperature of your home more comfortable.
- Consider using a programmable thermostat for heating and cooling
- Purchase appliances with energy star ratings
- Let clothes hang dry instead of using your dryer, or dry partially then hang to dry
- Unplug appliances and electronics when not in use, plugged-in items still use energy even when idle
- Instead of turning up the heat, put on a sweater and instead of turning on the air condition open a window
- Do laundry wisely: use warm or cold water when you can. If you are shopping for a new washer, look into purchasing a front-loader as they use 60% less water than a top-loader
Spend Less at the Pump:
- Drive the speed limit, the faster you drive the more gas you use. Drive at a consistent pace as slowing down and speeding decreases fuel efficiently
- Walk or bike instead of drive, you will save at the pump and won’t need to renew your gym membership
- Look into mass transit options, and you won’t have to pay for gas or parking
- Form carpools at work or school, and avoid traffic by taking advantage of carpool lanes
- Shut your engines off: Letting your engine idle for more than 30 seconds will burn more gasoline than restarting the engine
Save by Being a Green Consumer:
- Invest in a stainless steel reusable water bottle instead of buying plastic and fill it yourself
- Avoid “dry clean only” garments as dry cleaning is not only toxic to the environment (and possible humans) but it is also costly. *If dry cleaning is your only option consider using an organic dry cleaning service
- Only buying what you need will not only help with conservation but will keep your credit card bills low and your house less cluttered
- Instead of buying new books, borrow the books from the library, or swap them with friends. You can even order used books directly online from www.amazon.com
- Grow your own veggies and avoid the cost of buying organic - reap the rewards of your own bounty!
- Make what you can buy- looking into recipes for making your own non-toxic glues and chemical-free play-doh, eat in and avoid wasteful take-out containers
- Instead of buying, borrow – as long as you promise to return!
- Utilize reusable containers for storage instead of plastic “baggies”
- Bring your own shopping bags with you to stores, some stores will even give you a small reimbursement for doing so
Use the Internet to Save Money
- Pay your bills online, conserve paper and save on stamps
- Send email instead of letters, again save on postage (and you don’t have to worry about having bad penmanship)
- Planning a party? Send electronic invitations online using a free service such as www.evite.com
- Instead of printing out photographs create on online photo album that can also easily be shared with family and friends
- Instead of having newspaper subscriptions, get the news online for free and save a tree or a few thousand trees
These are just a few examples of ways to save money by going green. Every little bit makes a big difference. Just think you will be thinner, your house will be cleaner, bills will be smaller, the earth will be happier and the green in your wallet will be more plentiful!