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Green Home
By now every family has heard about environmental concerns. Climate change, rising greenhouse gas levels and lessening of natural resources are just a few of the many environmental scares that humanity is currently being face with. People are also aware that a great deal of this environmental damage is done on the corporation and even government level. Across the world companies release staggering amounts of carbon dioxide and other harmful pollutants into the air and even worse is the fact that most countries use coal and other forms of polluting, non-renewable sources of energy, which only increase the environmental threat. Being aware of the seemingly helpless nature of our environmental plight is enough to make any individual feel powerless. What can one person do? What can one family do? Why not give up? These are all questions that cannot help from floating in the head of an average person in this world, without the ability to change the environmental situation. There's nothing you can do, right? Wrong; every individual on this planet can help the environment. When small efforts are combined, they can actually attribute to great successes. One of ways that person, or family can have the most impact on their environment is by making an environmentally friendly home.
In any given home there are dozens, if not more, opportunities to increase conservation and help the environment. Believe it or not, your home wastes a great deal of energy. One of the most basic energy savers are fluorescent light bulbs. Fluorescent light bulbs are more energy efficient and have a much longer life span than traditional bulbs. Not only will purchasing a fluorescent bulb save $50 of electricity in its lifetime, but with the simple change to at least one of these bulbs for every home in the America would be enough energy to provide electricity to three million homes. In addition, watch for electrical products such as televisions and DVD players that use "phantom" energy even when turned off. In the United States, these devices create as much green house gas as 2 million cars.
Electrical household items are on the first part of the battle for having a green home. A great deal of having a green home has to do with heating and cooling efficiency, as well as the possible implementation of other green practices. The ability to keep your home at a desired temperature, without the use of wasteful heaters and a/c units is a great way to becoming a green home. Energy use can be greatly reduced with a well insulated home in cold weather and the use of shades and ceiling fans in hot weather. A green home is never complete without a green yard. Having a yard with your own source of vegetables, flowers and fruits reducing your need to buy these products from stores and therefore eliminates the carbon footprint created by product packaging and shipping. The presence of plants in trees in your yard also helps to eliminate carbon dioxide and create healthy air. For the family or individual that really wants a green home, the use of green technologies can be the final piece of the puzzle. Homes can create green power by harnessing the energy gathered from solar, wind and geothermal sources. More than 10,000 homes are powered by solar powered electricity in the United States. If this option is not viable, you can still be responsible for the spread of green power by purchasing renewable energy certificates that help put carbon-free energy on electrical grids throughout the nation.
Having a green home gives you the power to fight against the many environmental issues our world is facing. Even if you cannot afford to follow all of the guidelines of being a green home, any small change can be beneficial. Maybe just start with a fluorescent light bulb and who knows, in time you may have the most environmentally friendly home in the entire neighborhood.
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