You don’t have to install a wind turbine or a solar panel system to start going green. By following these energy saving, environmentally friendly tips, you can start making a difference today:

• Make sure your vehicle is well maintained. Proper tire pressure, following the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance schedule, and driving the speed limit, all contribute to having your vehicle run more fuel efficiently.

• Better yet, don’t drive! Get out there and take a walk, ride a bike, or roller blade. Aside from the obvious health benefits, eliminating driving when possible can reduce your carbon footprint by close to 25%. When using a vehicle is absolutely necessary, try carpooling, using public transportation, or pre-plan travel routes to reduce total driving time.

• “If you’re not using it, turn it off!” Most of our parents taught this to us once we were tall enough to reach a light switch. Lights, televisions, stereos, and other appliances are often absentmindedly left running for hours or even days. Although electricity usage doesn’t produce carbon based emissions, the process used to create that electricity likely does. Also, electronics such as computers produce lots of heat, requiring air conditioning units to work harder in order to keep rooms at desired temperatures.

• Participate in your community’s recycle programs. Separating your cans, paper waste, and plastics may not seem like a big deal, however tons of recyclable materials are salvaged each year and used in manufacturing millions of products ranging from newspapers to automobiles. If recycling programs are not offered in your community, you can make a conscious decision to purchase products which are produced using recycled materials. You can try to cut back on the amount of waste you create. Avoid purchasing products that are “over packaged” and try to find alternate uses for items you may normally throw away.

• Plant trees and plants. Planting trees and other plants has intrinsic aesthetic value, and of course it increases the population of our oxygen producing friends. Vegetable gardens share the same benefits, plus provide a supplemental food source. Yum!!!

WASHINGTON (AP) – A big shift to renewable energy and efficiency could produce 4.2 million new environmentally friendly jobs over the next three decades.

The U.S. Conference of Mayors study says such “green” jobs could become the “fastest growing segment” of the U.S. economy over the next few decades.

The study says about 750,000 people work today in what can be considered “green” jobs. That includes the makers of wind turbines and more energy-efficient products and scientists who research alternative fuels.

The report says that by 2038, another 4.2 million green jobs are expected to be added. That would account for 10 percent of new job growth over the next 30 years.

Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, the conference’s president, says the report makes “a very compelling economic argument for investing in the green economy.”

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Nurturing our environment, achieving a sustainable future and reducing global warming have been growing topics of concern for all of us. The need to protect the environment is in all of our hands and this responsibility needs to be exercised in almost everything we do and in the choices we make every hour of our lives. Actions we take now can lead to benefits later. When we all choose well and change our behavior to nurture, conserve and sustain, the effect can be enormous. The home in which we live is one such area where we have the ability to make a range of nurturing choices. In this article we will look at some of the more desirable elements that need to be included in green home plans.

Durability is a key tenet of a good green home plan. A green home plan will strive to use eco-friendly building materials and furnishings and will incorporate leftovers wherever possible. A green home design will make use of materials that are renewable and long lasting. The less often you have to replace materials, then the less material and effort that needs to go into maintaining them, resulting in a diminished cost of upkeep and less frequent replacement. Cork, bamboo and eucalyptus are examples of earth friendly and renewable materials that feature prominently in environmental building designs. Recycled materials should also be used wherever possible. This is relatively easily achieved when it comes to flooring as you can sand and refinish or even paint and stencil what is already there. Recycled glass (vertrazzo) looks attractive and comes in a range of colors. It can be used for both kitchen countertops and as a backsplash.

Efficient energy use is another key component of a green home plan. Using energy efficient appliances is a must and most manufactures these days will label their products with an energy star rating. But the biggest difference we can make is by leveraging that great bundle of natural energy called the sun. A solar power system can deliver most of an average household’s daytime energy needs and any excess energy that is created can be fed back into the electricity grid. Rebates for the installation of solar panels and also their improved efficiency are seeing the cost of installing residential solar power systems come rapidly down. The energy savings we can achieve by installing a solar panel array will be complemented by installing energy saving windows and ensuring that our homes are properly insulated. Both measures are designed to trap heat inside the house during cold weather and reflect heat when it is hot, leading to a reduction in heating and cooling costs respectively.

The third pillar of a good greenhouse plan should be the efficient use of water: something that is particularly pertinent for those living in drier climates. An enormous amount of perfectly good drinking water is wasted each day on activities like clothes washing and flushing toilets. These activities could just as soon be done using grey water (recycled water). Home water treatment systems such as a wet compost system or a sand filtration system will achieve the aim of using water efficiently.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/green-home-plans-what-they-need-to-include-550825.html

The amount of energy used in the home is at an all time high, and being consumed at an alarming rate. Many people use electricity more than they really need to, and the pay for it without complaining. Others think the cost of it is too high and they want to use it as little as possible. Either way, there are various alternative energy sources that you can use for your home. This can help slow down the depletion of natural resources and save you money.

As technology continues to change and move forward, consumers are being offered many alternatives. While many of the ideas that are being promoted today as alternative energy sources aren’t new, there are more ways to incorporate them than ever before. There is also a way to calculate the savings that these alternatives offer, and that is generally the motivating factor that causes people to move forward with implementing them.

You may have discovered windmills popping up in various locations, and that is due to the fact that wind energy is a great alternative to offering you power instead of using electricity. The windmill has come a long way from the days when it was used to grind up grain. They are more appreciated as a source of energy than anything else.

The energy from the sun, called solar energy, is a great alternative to electricity. You can easily install solar panels on your roof to collect energy. You will only use electricity as a back up source when all of the energy has been used up. The energy from a solar source is able to heat your home, dry your clothes, and run various household appliances. Many people are able to use solar power to supply all the energy they need for their entire home.

Of course this is a different type of solar energy than our parents used when they hung clothes outside on the line to dry. Yet the introduction of the clothes dryer is just one more device that uses up electricity.

Water can also be a valuable alternative source of energy. Hydropower is the ability to use water currents to operate generators. Hydropower is another concept that goes back to the era of grinding up grains into flour.

One type of alternative energy source that you may not be aware of is biogas. This is the process of decomposition of various materials. This is a great way to save money on the cost of heating your home, especially if you live in a cold weather area.

There are plenty of different resources for you to consider when it comes to alternative energy sources. They are a great way to save the resource of electricity as well as to save money on the cost of your energy sources. Take the time to find the one that is the most practical and cost effective for your home. Many people don’t live where they can install a windmill but they do live where the sun shines all day long.

We all need to do our part to make the environment cleaner, and you can do yours by choosing an alternative energy source. It is important for us to keep as many of the natural resources for future generations as possible. Once you compare the price of installing the alternative energy source to the amount of money you will save, you will see why it is a win/win situation for you personally and for the entire environment.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/alternate-energy-sources-for-your-home-556331.html