Room by Room Steps to Reduce Global Warming and Your Electricity Bill.
by stranoster in Living > Life Hacks
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Room by Room Steps to Reduce Global Warming and Your Electricity Bill.
This is an instructable designed to cost next to nothing (except in the case of new things like dishwashers:) and reduce out global footprint. A movie I think you should all see first is this Link
This is interesting as well Link
Thanks to Greenpeace for the picture.
Also, basically, no matter what, whether you are a believer in global warming or not, this can help to wean us from non-renewables and save you a little money.
This is interesting as well Link
Thanks to Greenpeace for the picture.
Also, basically, no matter what, whether you are a believer in global warming or not, this can help to wean us from non-renewables and save you a little money.
Every Room:
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Free:
Turn off any appliances you either don't use very often or when you go on holidays.
Instead of turning heaters on high try wearing warmer clothes, and when the heater is on, close off any unused areas of the house and the blinds and curtains.
Instead of using the air conditioner just open windows when there is a cool breeze.
Lastly in the free section, make sure you leave no devices on standby. Standby in devices makes up about 10% of the average power bill.
Pays for itself:
The easiest thing to do is as a bulb blows buy a new replacement which is either a compact fluorescent or an LED bulb. These use a lot less electricity and last a lot longer. Led's last nearly forever and CF's last about 15,000 hours according to the package which is 15 times longer than the average bulb.
Remember though its even better to turn the lights off or just open the blinds! :) When you leave the room flip the switch!
This is a link to see how much energy you will save and to find out what type to buy!This is a link to see how much energy you will save and to find out what type to buy!
Another easy thing to do is to get eneloop or rechargeable batteries for you battery powered devices, for example wireless mice and keyboards, so that:
1. They stay on longer
2. There are no dead batteries being put into landfill.
Not free
Check your insulation, especially around lights and skylights and get it replaced or patched up if it is not completely covering everywhere or not working.
To keep a tiled room warmer try putting a rug down in winter.
What we have achieved this step:
We have reduced landfill, saved energy and become aware of how much energy we waste with incandescent light bulbs.
Turn off any appliances you either don't use very often or when you go on holidays.
Instead of turning heaters on high try wearing warmer clothes, and when the heater is on, close off any unused areas of the house and the blinds and curtains.
Instead of using the air conditioner just open windows when there is a cool breeze.
Lastly in the free section, make sure you leave no devices on standby. Standby in devices makes up about 10% of the average power bill.
Pays for itself:
The easiest thing to do is as a bulb blows buy a new replacement which is either a compact fluorescent or an LED bulb. These use a lot less electricity and last a lot longer. Led's last nearly forever and CF's last about 15,000 hours according to the package which is 15 times longer than the average bulb.
Remember though its even better to turn the lights off or just open the blinds! :) When you leave the room flip the switch!
This is a link to see how much energy you will save and to find out what type to buy!This is a link to see how much energy you will save and to find out what type to buy!
Another easy thing to do is to get eneloop or rechargeable batteries for you battery powered devices, for example wireless mice and keyboards, so that:
1. They stay on longer
2. There are no dead batteries being put into landfill.
Not free
Check your insulation, especially around lights and skylights and get it replaced or patched up if it is not completely covering everywhere or not working.
To keep a tiled room warmer try putting a rug down in winter.
What we have achieved this step:
We have reduced landfill, saved energy and become aware of how much energy we waste with incandescent light bulbs.
In the Study / Computer Room
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Free:
Firstly, in my computer area we have 12 cords plugged in which operate peripherals and others like the printer, scanner, speakers, mouse charger and our external harddrive. These are nearly never in use so when not in use its best to unplug them because standby power can account for 10% of the average power bill. If you want to see how much energy this uses up try this List. You could also buy a thing called the kill a watt Link. and monitor your usage.
Computer standby mode and monitor standby mode are another great way of saving power. Set up your computer screen to go into standby mode by right clicking on the desktop and clicking properties. Now click the Screen Saver tab and then the power button. You can then set the screen to go into standby mode after a certain amount of time. There is also a standby mode where the computer keeps every program saved to the disk and turns everything onto an extremely low power usage, until you move the mouse where it goes back to exactly how it was. This is great if you don't or can't turn off your computer.
Some other things you can do:
1. Recycle or refill toner or ink cartridges
2. Reuse floppy discs to make something like a bird feeder or bag. If you want to make a bird feeder post a comment and I'll work on an instructable. There are other great things similar to this in the go green contest already though, so check them out.
Pays for itself
Buying recycled paper or plantation paper is a great way of saving natural forests.
Costs money
This will cost quite a bit upfront but if you are a frequent computer user it should pay for itself over time. If you have a CFC monitor( A big glass fronted one) you could think of investing in an energy efficient LCD monitor because an LCD panel monitor generates around half as much greenhouse gas as a conventional monitor and adjusting its brightness lower can cut emissions to a quarter. It also gives a clearer picture :)
What we have done this step:
We have saved energy and trees and stopped old toner cartridges going into landfill.
Firstly, in my computer area we have 12 cords plugged in which operate peripherals and others like the printer, scanner, speakers, mouse charger and our external harddrive. These are nearly never in use so when not in use its best to unplug them because standby power can account for 10% of the average power bill. If you want to see how much energy this uses up try this List. You could also buy a thing called the kill a watt Link. and monitor your usage.
Computer standby mode and monitor standby mode are another great way of saving power. Set up your computer screen to go into standby mode by right clicking on the desktop and clicking properties. Now click the Screen Saver tab and then the power button. You can then set the screen to go into standby mode after a certain amount of time. There is also a standby mode where the computer keeps every program saved to the disk and turns everything onto an extremely low power usage, until you move the mouse where it goes back to exactly how it was. This is great if you don't or can't turn off your computer.
Some other things you can do:
1. Recycle or refill toner or ink cartridges
2. Reuse floppy discs to make something like a bird feeder or bag. If you want to make a bird feeder post a comment and I'll work on an instructable. There are other great things similar to this in the go green contest already though, so check them out.
Pays for itself
Buying recycled paper or plantation paper is a great way of saving natural forests.
Costs money
This will cost quite a bit upfront but if you are a frequent computer user it should pay for itself over time. If you have a CFC monitor( A big glass fronted one) you could think of investing in an energy efficient LCD monitor because an LCD panel monitor generates around half as much greenhouse gas as a conventional monitor and adjusting its brightness lower can cut emissions to a quarter. It also gives a clearer picture :)
What we have done this step:
We have saved energy and trees and stopped old toner cartridges going into landfill.
Bathroom and Laundry
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Free:
1. Put a bucket under the shower when it is heating up and then use it to flush a toilet or water a new tree or plants.
2. Instead of using the heat lamps try using the normal light in the center. they use a lot less energy and give enough light to see with still.
3. When drying clothes, instead of drying them in the dryer, hang them on the washing line, or if it is rainy outside put them on a clothes airer in front of a warm place (fire or heater).
4. Do your teeth quickly and use a towel to dry your hair.
Pays for itself:
Fix leaky taps in the house. It normally only needs a new washer which costs about $1 each. Try seeing how much water is wasted with this drip calculator. Link
Get a AAA shower head in your bathroom. It uses a lot less water!
Not free:
If you need to get a new appliance try getting an energy star compliant model, the higher the stars the better. Also use the economy wash on the dishwasher and the cold wash in the clothes washer.
When getting a new toilet try to get a dual flush model instead of a single flush so when you don't need to flush as heavily (Hint hint) you only use half the amount of water.
What we have done this step:
We have saved water and electricity.
1. Put a bucket under the shower when it is heating up and then use it to flush a toilet or water a new tree or plants.
2. Instead of using the heat lamps try using the normal light in the center. they use a lot less energy and give enough light to see with still.
3. When drying clothes, instead of drying them in the dryer, hang them on the washing line, or if it is rainy outside put them on a clothes airer in front of a warm place (fire or heater).
4. Do your teeth quickly and use a towel to dry your hair.
Pays for itself:
Fix leaky taps in the house. It normally only needs a new washer which costs about $1 each. Try seeing how much water is wasted with this drip calculator. Link
Get a AAA shower head in your bathroom. It uses a lot less water!
Not free:
If you need to get a new appliance try getting an energy star compliant model, the higher the stars the better. Also use the economy wash on the dishwasher and the cold wash in the clothes washer.
When getting a new toilet try to get a dual flush model instead of a single flush so when you don't need to flush as heavily (Hint hint) you only use half the amount of water.
What we have done this step:
We have saved water and electricity.
Kitchen
I cant really think of much for this step but I'll have a go!
Free:
Turn up your fridge just a little and it should save a little money.
Make a compost bucket in your kitchen and put in vegetable and fruit scraps like peelings and cores. In the next step it will say what to do with these.
Pays for itself:
When buying food, make sure it is not heavily packaged and buy bulk packages instead of smaller packages, for example instead of a 24 pack of drink cans, buy a few large bottles and reuse them for water. The only problem with reusing them is recent studies have said washing them a few times with hot water and detergent can be harmful, but I have always done this and as far as I know am O.K.
Costs money:
This is a simple thing to help the environment, but it may cost more. When buying cooking oil sprays etc. make sure the can is recyclable and is marked with an {{{ITS OK TO SPRAY}}} logo so that it doesn't damage the ozone layer.
What we have done this step:
Reduced landfill further and helped protect the ozone layer.
Free:
Turn up your fridge just a little and it should save a little money.
Make a compost bucket in your kitchen and put in vegetable and fruit scraps like peelings and cores. In the next step it will say what to do with these.
Pays for itself:
When buying food, make sure it is not heavily packaged and buy bulk packages instead of smaller packages, for example instead of a 24 pack of drink cans, buy a few large bottles and reuse them for water. The only problem with reusing them is recent studies have said washing them a few times with hot water and detergent can be harmful, but I have always done this and as far as I know am O.K.
Costs money:
This is a simple thing to help the environment, but it may cost more. When buying cooking oil sprays etc. make sure the can is recyclable and is marked with an {{{ITS OK TO SPRAY}}} logo so that it doesn't damage the ozone layer.
What we have done this step:
Reduced landfill further and helped protect the ozone layer.
Outside and in the Car
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Free:
When it rains put a bucket or two outside and use the water on pot plants or other plants.
If you have a big car and no other cars, how about setting up a car pooling program at your work or catching public transport instead?
With your compost and lawn clippings, find an out of sight corner of your yard and lay down some wet newspapers and pour it there whenever there is too much for the bucket and turn it with a pitchfork every now and again. If this is too gross for your yard consider buying one or making one like this or this.
Our water heater is outside and we turn down how hot it heats the water in summer and turn it up in winter because we just have a large knob inside the heater for this but if you don't SEEK HELP FROM AN ELECTRICIAN or HEATER REPAIR MAN.
We also have a thing called holiday mode, which keeps the pilot light alight but not heating the water which we turn on when going away.
Pays for itself:
Please suggest something for this step, as I am half brain dead right now and need sleep! Any comments will be welcome!
Not free:
Planting a tree may not be free but is a great idea, especially if you plant native trees or fruit trees. You can water it with the systems I have provided or just with the hose. A tree or even a pot plant is a great addition to homes and is AWESOME ( I needed to say awesome in here somewhere). These people take it to the extreme though Link.
Note 1.From Joyce (contributed).
Even small trees are expensive bought from a nursery. Why not start your own in a pot then plant out. I have started mulberries, peaches etc this way. Seed came from picked or purchased fruit. Or a walk through most parks will yield fallen acorns dogwood berries etc.
When it rains put a bucket or two outside and use the water on pot plants or other plants.
If you have a big car and no other cars, how about setting up a car pooling program at your work or catching public transport instead?
With your compost and lawn clippings, find an out of sight corner of your yard and lay down some wet newspapers and pour it there whenever there is too much for the bucket and turn it with a pitchfork every now and again. If this is too gross for your yard consider buying one or making one like this or this.
Our water heater is outside and we turn down how hot it heats the water in summer and turn it up in winter because we just have a large knob inside the heater for this but if you don't SEEK HELP FROM AN ELECTRICIAN or HEATER REPAIR MAN.
We also have a thing called holiday mode, which keeps the pilot light alight but not heating the water which we turn on when going away.
Pays for itself:
Please suggest something for this step, as I am half brain dead right now and need sleep! Any comments will be welcome!
Not free:
Planting a tree may not be free but is a great idea, especially if you plant native trees or fruit trees. You can water it with the systems I have provided or just with the hose. A tree or even a pot plant is a great addition to homes and is AWESOME ( I needed to say awesome in here somewhere). These people take it to the extreme though Link.
Note 1.From Joyce (contributed).
Even small trees are expensive bought from a nursery. Why not start your own in a pot then plant out. I have started mulberries, peaches etc this way. Seed came from picked or purchased fruit. Or a walk through most parks will yield fallen acorns dogwood berries etc.
Well Thats About All the Rooms in My House!
Apart from the bedroom, which is covered in all rooms, that is a list of all the rooms in my house, which concludes this instructable. The last thing to add is that if you are in Australia consider joining this site that I heard about on the radio Freecycle. there may be a UK or US equivalent but I haven't heard of them. All I can say now is good luck and try to convert your friends!