If you are reading this blog, chances are that you are interested in helping the environment, while still maintaining a certain level of comfort in your life. For too long have we been ignoring the damage we are doing to nature just for the sake of our own selfish interests.
The eco-friendly movement is particularly strong in California, where companies such as Action Solar have been offering greener solutions and where people have an overwhelmingly positive attitude towards the eco-friendly ideas.
If you feel like you and your household can do more to help the environment, here are some ideas which you might want to implement in your everyday life.
Stop Using Plastic Bags
A lot of places have started banning plastic products due to the sheer volume of plastic currently smothering our planet. An estimated 8 million metric tons, which is almost 9 million US tons ends up in the oceans around the world each year. And we have been doing that for decades.
So, next time you are offered a plastic bag, ask for a paper one (even if it does cost a bit more) or have a reusable bag on hand.
Grow Some Greenery
Plants are awesome; not only are they capable of converting the dangerous CO2 from the atmosphere into the all-important oxygen, but they also provide shade. In fact, trees provide so much shade that homes which have good tree cover can be as much as 9 degrees cooler than urban areas with no trees at all.
So, literally going green can help cool your home naturally, thus making your air conditioning needs smaller and your electricity bill lower.
If you have the knack for it, you may even try growing some food, too. Whether it is just a small herb garden, or something more is entirely up to you and your interests.
Install Solar Panels
In California, a new law passed in May of 2018 dictates that all new homes will need to come with pre-installed solar panels as of 2020. Even though it is not common for a state government to dictate such a thing, this particular move was welcomed by most.
Solar panels, although initially costly, quickly repay their value in savings and are a driving force of renewable energy production which is available to both consumers and industrial complexes.
Top solar companies in California offer a variety of different solar panels and payment options which can suit every individual consumer.
Buy Energy-Efficient Electronics
With age, our technology gets better and the demand determines which aspects of the technology are perfected. The need for energy efficiency has driven a lot of appliances and other electronics manufacturers to find new ways to save energy.
The Energy Star label is used to determine how well the appliances stack up against one another. All of the major energy spenders have gone through significant changes in the past decade alone, including washing machines, dishwashers, and fridges.
However, don’t just throw away your old appliances. There are several ways to go about upgrading gadgets, thus doing away the need to replace them as often unless they’ve broken down, and maximizing their utility. If you have a relatively old computer with one USB port, you can add two or more ports through a USB hub adapter. This way, you can plug your peripherals to your gadget and enjoy seamless connectivity between the devices. Preferably, you should use your electronic devices until they fail and only then replace them. Alternatively, you could donate them to people who might really use them.
Replace Old Lightbulbs
The old incandescent lightbulbs waste as much as 90% of all electricity on generating unwanted heat, which makes them highly inefficient. However, a lot of people still use them out of habit.
However, other types of lighting are not only much more energy efficient, but also more durable and easier on the eye. CFL (compact fluorescent light) and LED (light emitting diode) light fixtures are readily available and inexpensive.
Reducing your carbon footprint can be as easy as making a few good decisions and sticking to them, without completely changing your lifestyle.
Great tips for living more green. Related to the energy efficient electronics is the benefit of buying high quality products instead of cheap ones. High quality pays for it self in the long run and it also saves on the environment.