Want to help the environment, but don’t want to expend a lot of your own energy? According to an article in Reader’s Digest (April 08), anyone can create an energy smart home by making just a few changes.
Create an Energy Smart Home by:
- Sealing and weatherproofing your home. If you’re not sure how to do this, then hire someone who is. There are many DIY handyman in every burg and town who are looking for small jobs such as sealing pipes, windows and insulating air ducts.
- Lower the temperature of your water heater to 120 degrees; wash clothes in warm or cold water; and replace water heaters that are more than 15 years old with more energy efficient ones. Just by doing these simple things everyone can save more than a hundred pounds of CO2 every year.
- Drink tap water instead of buying bottled water or reuse gallon or 5 gallon containers to replenish your drinking water.
- Replace outdated appliances with energy efficient ones; look for the Energy Star symbol. Some states even provide tax breaks for buying and using such appliances. You’ll save more electricity and use less CO2 every year.
An energy smart home is easy to create; look for retailers and manufacturers who sell energy smart appliances on Fair Green Trade.
