4 ways to give back to mother nature
Earth Day offers the opportunity to breathe in the fresh air and take a moment to reflect on our connection with the planet. But some are noticing that the air isn’t as fresh as it once was. That’s why we’re taking this moment of appreciation a step further. While thinking about your connection with the planet, take the opportunity to commit to making it even more beautiful in the coming generations. Aside from buying solar panels, here are some other ideas on how you can help.
Heating
Heating is one of the major causes of wasted energy. But even small changes can go a long way to reducing energy waste, which decreases the air pollution caused from generating that energy in the first place. Start by lowering your water heater’s default temperature of 140. By setting it just 20 degrees lower, you’ll be able to save on your power and still enjoy a hot shower. As a mean of cutting heating costs, we also recommend looking into a Solar PPA or any of the other agreements types available in your area.
Appliances
Take care to use your conveniences wisely. How you optimize your appliances can reduce energy waste by up to 80 percent. Make sure not to leave your oven on longer than necessary, for example. And by using certain energy-efficient tools, like pressure cookers, you can reduce the time spent cooking. Many larger appliances (e.g. washers and dishwashers) use an unnecessary amount of heated water but there are ways around this like using detergents that are made to work with cold water. By doing so, you can reduce your energy use by 90 percent.
Interested in learning more about solar for your home?
Water
The earth is mostly made up of water, so it can be hard to understand why it’s important to be conservative with it. Well, the surprising truth is that only 0.5% of it is fresh water that’s available to drink. The less water available, the more energy it takes to process and deliver it. Just as surprising is the fact that if Americans’ wash their cars at the car wash instead of at home, it could save nearly nine billion gallons of water. Sounds like the perfect excuse to save yourself some work—and the kids will love it.
The Future
Many people avoid making big changes because they think that new, cleaner technology is too expensive. But many clean energy options, such as electric cars or solar energy systems, can actually save money in the long run. Electric cars can cost less than a third the price of a regular car to fuel. And with a proper solar energy system, you can have reliable energy rates compared to the fluctuating rates that are common with traditional power.
This Earth Day, commit to doing the little things that will improve both your life and the lives of everyone around you. Together, all the small changes add up to clearer skies, greener pastures, and fresher air—so we can breathe a little easier next Earth Day.