Home’s Electrical Cost
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No doubt you have seen the rising cost of electricity in forms of dollars and impacts to the environment and people's health. If you don't know, nearly half of the energy produced for the United States comes from coal. What is coal? Coal is a hazardous, stinky, nasty, shaky and ridiculous way to make power. When you use less energy in your home and make the energy that you do use greener; then it's impact on the environment is much less than if you had used coal. If you need some ideas on to go green through your electricity, utilize these 10 tips.
Electricity Tip #1 - Do An Audit of Your Home
Find out how much electricity you actually use in your home. Find out where it's lost and where the energy can be saved. You can do this on your own or hire someone to do this for you. Many utility companies will do energy audits for business and homes for no cost.
Electricity Tip #2 - Limit/Reduce How Much You Use
Look for ways inside your home/business to limit your electricity usage. Here are five ways you can do this very thing.
- First, replace the bulbs with LEDs and/or CFLs (light emitting diodes and/or compact fluorescent light bulbs.
- Second, shut off room lights or other devices when not in use.
- Third, computers still use energy even when they are placed on standby. Shut them down instead.
- Fourth, unplug AC adapters. These draw currents to the plug in...typically known as phantom power. Use a power strip to help you with this problem.
- Fifth, use a clothesline to dry your clothes instead of using the dryer.
Electricity Tip #3 - Limit the Electricity In Your House
Your home uses a lot of energy. Most especially if it's during the summer and winter months with extreme temperatures. Try cutting out nonessential electrical gadgets to conserve on electricity. In the summer time, use your windows to bring in fresh air to cool the house. You can use ceiling fans or in room fans to get that air circulating. If you want another way to keep your house cooler in the summer months, place aluminum foil on the windows to block out the summer sun's rays. Wrap your water tank with a blanket to save on power.
Electricity Tip #4 - Purchase Wisely
When you buy your next appliance, choose those that are energy efficient. Almost all appliances come with an Energy Guide label where consumers can see just the amount of electricity the appliance will use in a year. Be sure you seek out those appliances with the Energy Star label. Your computer can use quite a bit of power so make you shut down when you are not using it.
Electricity Tip #5 - Create Your Own Energy Source
Many people are turning to alternative energy sources such as solar to energize the products in your home. If you plan to use an alternative source either from sun, wind or water, that you have no hindrance to do this. Check for available programs geared towards alternative energy sources.
Electricity Tip #6 - Power Your Toys
Many of your electronics can be charged up with solar power instead of your home's electric power. If you want to go green and still have the amenities of a technologically advanced home, try using solar power to help power up your electronics.
Electricity Tip #7 - Build/Rebuild and You Save
You can always redesign/design a home around energy efficiency. When you do this, you will save a lot of money in the long run. How can you make your home not so reliant on electricity? Look at several features including positioning of your home, how you will use the daylight, lighting, renewable energy system and a natural ventilation system. The more you go, the closer to zero you can be.
Electricity Tip #8 - Get Green Power
600 power utility companies will offer their consumers a way to go green. What this means is that the company will buy a renewable energy source such as solar, wind, water, etc. and give it to the consumer. While it does cost a bit more, consumers often do it to save the planet. However, before you sign on the dotted line, find out where the power is coming from. If you find that it's not what you want, buy renewable credits instead.
Electricity Tip #9 - Purchase renewable energy credits
Renewable energy credits are a relatively new idea and many people do not know quite how they work. Websites on saving energy can often calculate how much electricity you consume and tell you about how much RECs you need to make your home electrified.
Electricity Tip #10 - Electricity's Lifecycle
Every person in the world uses energy. For instance, if you plan to go solar, you still have to have the panels that will help you reign in solar power. Those panels are being made in the factory, which is likely not using an alternative source.
Numbers Behind Electricity
Nearly 72 percent of the United States energy consumption is by buildings.
Around 98 percent of the United States power is coming from non-renewable sources. To further break down this 98 percent, 51.7 percent is from goal, 19.8 percent is from nuclear, 15.9 percent is natural gas, 7.2 percent is from large hydroelectric and 2.8 percent comes from oil.
The demand for renewable energy credits in 2004 totaled up to $45 million. It's stated that the demand for renewable energy credits will be around $100 to $300 million by 2010.
