How to go green easy

How to make your house energy efficient
Have you ever wanted to do something for the environment but don’t know what to do. You might have thought of something that would be really helpful but it’s too expensive or hard to do. Well now you can do something that is really helpful and won’t break the bank. All you have to do is make your house greener. Now that doesn’t mean painting your house green will save the environment. It means that you can make your house more energy efficient so you save more money and help the environment. It isn’t expensive or hard to do. By following these simple steps you can make your house a better one for the environment.
 
Step 1: Green up your appliances
Getting rid of that old refrigerator in the garage could save you as much as $150 a year. Appliance use comprises about 18% of a typical homes energy bill, with the fridge being one of the biggest energy hogs. If any of your appliances is more than ten years old then replace them with energy-efficient models that bear the “Energy Star” logo. Energy Star-qualified appliances use 10%-50% less energy and water than standard models.
Also, consider what you put in that energy-efficient refrigerator. Pesticides, transportation and packaging are all things to consider when stocking up. Buying local cuts down on fossil fuels burned to get the food to you while organic foods are produced without potentially harmful pesticides and fertilizers.
Step 2: Watch the temperature
Almost half a home’s energy consumption is due to heating and cooling. 

If you have an air-conditioner then control its temperature. Each degree below 20’C during colder weather saves 3%-5% more heating energy, while keeping the air-conditioner at 26’C in warmer weather will save you energy and money.
If you have an air-conditioner then use ceiling fans instead as much as possible. Light clothing in summer is typically comfortable between temperatures of 22’C and 26’C, but moving air feels cooler, so a slow-moving fan easily can extend the comfort range to 28’s.
If you have a furnace then clean its filter monthly during heavy usage.
If you have an old furnace then consider a new one. Today’s furnaces are about 25% more efficient then they were in the 1980s. (Also, don’t forget to check out furnaces carrying the Energy Star label.)
To keep cool in warmer weather, shade your east and west windows and delay heat-generating activities such as dishwashing until evening. You’ll avoid having to use your air-conditioner and save power.
Step 3: Save water
There are over hundreds of ways to save water however only a few will be said here

Install an evolve showerhead. They save more water then the standard showerhead and you still have a great shower
Install a low-flow toilet. They use only 6 liters per flush, compared to 13 liters per flush for pre-1994 models. If you have an older model, adjust your float valve to admit less water into the toilets tank.
Of course, you don’t need products to save water – behavioral changes also add up quickly: using a broom instead of the garden hose to clean your driveway can save 300 liters of water and turning the tap off when you brush your teeth will save 17 liters each time.
Step 4: Clean green
Stop buying household cleaners that are potentially toxic to both you and the environment. Use cleaners that have labels which are specific, eco-friendly ingredients that also perform effectively. These include grain alcohol instead of toxic butyl cellosolve, commonly found in carpet cleaner and same window cleaners as a solvent; coconut or other plant oils rather than petroleum in detergents; and plant-oil disinfectants such as eucalyptus, rosemary or sage rather than triclosan, an antifungal agent found in soaps and deodorant. Or, skip buying altogether and make your own cleaning products. Use simple ingredients such as plain soap, water, baking soda (sodium bicardonate), vinegar, washing soda (sodium carbonate), lemon juice and borax and save money at the same time.
Step 5: Let there be energy-efficient light
Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFLs) use 66% less energy than a standard incandescent bulb and last up to 10 times longer. Replacing a 100-watt incandescent bulb with a 32-watt CFL can save $30 in energy costs over the life of a bulb
Step 6: Save a tree, use less paper
You can buy “tree-free” 100% post-consumer recycled paper for everything from greeting cards to toilet paper. Paper with a high post-consumer waste content uses less virgin pulp and keeps more waste paper out of landfills.
Other tips:

Remove yourself from junk mail lists. Each person will receive almost 560 pieces of junk mail this, year, which adds up nationally to 4.5 million tons. About 44% of all junk mail is thrown in the trash, unopened and unread, and ends up in a landfill
Buy unbleached paper. Many paper products, including some made from recycled fibers, are bleached with chlorine. The bleaching process can create harmful byproducts, including dioxins, which accumulate in our air, water and soil over time
Finally, here’s the answer to the old “paper or plastic” question: No thanks. Carry your own cloth bags to the store to avoid using store bags
Step 7: Want hardwood floors? Opt for bamboo.
Bamboo is considered a environmentally friendly flooring material due to its high yield and the relatively fast rate at which it replenishes itself. It takes just four to six years for bamboo to mature, compared to 50-100 years for typical hardwoods. Just be sure to look for sources that use formaldehyde-free glues
Step 8: Reduce plastics, reduce global warming
Unfortunately, plastics are made from petroleum – the processing and burning of which is considered one of the main contributors to global warming. In addition, sending plastics to your landfill also increases greenhouse gases. Reduce, re-use and recycle your plastics for one of the best ways to combat global warming
 
 
 
 
Step 9: Use healthier paint
Conventional paints contain solvents, toxic metals and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can cause smog, ozone pollution and indoor air quality problems with negative health effects. These unhealthy ingredients are released into the air while you’re painting, while the paint dries and even after the paints are completely dry. Opt instead for zero- or low-VOC paint, made by most major paint manufacturers today.
Step 10: Garden green
First, use compost instead of synthetic fertilizers. Compost provides a full complement of soil organisms and the balance of nutrients needed to maintain the soil’s well-being without the chemicals of synthetic fertilizers. And healthy soil minimizes weeds and is key to producing healthy plants, which in turn can prevent many pest problems from developing to being with.

Use native plants as much as possible. Native plants have adapted over time to the local environment and support native animals. They also use less water and require less of your attention.
Focus on perennials. Gardening with plants that live for more than one year means you don’t have to pay for new plants every year; it also saves the resources used commercially to grow annuals.
Stop using chemical pesticides. These toxic chemicals escape gardens and concentrate in the environment, posing threats to animals and people, especially children. A better alternative is to try a variety of organic and physical pest control methods, such as diatomaceous earth to kill insects, pouring boiling water on weeds or using beer to bait slugs
Finally consider using an old fashioned push mower. The only energy expended is yours
 
By following all of these steps you can ensure that your home is a better one for the future of the planet. When people ask what you’re doing to help the Earth you can confidently and truthfully answer “making my home greener”.