Goal For The Green

Most people want to have lower utility bills as well as to leave less of an environmental footprint. There are several things that you can do that can leave you with lower bills as well as less of an environmental impact. Understanding which utility company has the greenest approach to the provision of energy is also important, which is why companies like Compare Texas Energy Providers give comparisons of the different available energy options companies offer. Here are things you can do at home to help.

Stop the Phantom Load

Even when you are not using an appliance, it will still consume a significant amount of energy just by being plugged in. According to the University of California at Berkeley, as much as six percent of residential energy consumption across the nation occurs due to these phantom loads. You can stop yourself from having higher bills and contributing to the problem by simply unplugging all appliances that you are not using, or by plugging them into a power strip and turning the power strip off.

Switch Light Bulbs

A very inexpensive way to save on utility bills while also helping the environment is switching from incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs. These bulbs reduce energy consumption by as much as 75 percent over incandescent ones, last 10 times longer and generally pay for themselves on average in about six months.

Buy a Different Thermostat

You might consider purchasing and installing a programmable thermostat, which you can program to automatically adjust the temperature inside of your home according to when you need it to be comfortable. For example, the thermostat may adjust the temperature to where it is either not cooling your home during the day in the summer when you are at work, or not heating it in the winter, only turning back on about 30 minutes before you return home.

Look for and Seal Leaks

As much as 10 percent of a home’s energy costs may be do to tiny cracks which allow air from inside to escape. You should thus carefully inspect your home for these cracks and use caulk or another sealant to close them.

In addition to comparing various energy companies to make certain you are choosing the greenest one and the one with the best rates, taking simple steps on your own can save you big on your energy bills. As an additional plus, reducing your utility bills also reduces your impact on the environment.