You know that you should be saving energy at home. After all, in the United States, buildings (that includes your house) account for 36 percent of our total energy use, 65 percent of our electricity consumption, and 12 percent of all potable water consumed. In fact, according to the Green Building Resource Center, a typical 1,700 square foot wood frame home has the same environmental impact of clear-cutting one acre of forest. If that isn’t enough reason for you to save energy, consider this: saving energy can save you money. And you don’t have to be a contractor to make the changes necessary. “Sometimes the smallest changes can be the biggest changes,” says Danny Seo, former co-host of HGTV’s Red, Hot and Green.
see the light
“How easy is it to change a light bulb?” asks Linda Foy, a spokesperson for Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE). “It’s one of the easiest steps that homeowners can take, but it can make a big impact.” Simply switch your regular light bulbs to CFLs (that’s compact fluorescent bulbs) and start saving money immediately. Regular incandescent light bulbs use more than 90 percent of their energy to generate heat, not light, which costs the country energy and the homeowner money. CFL’s use 75 percent less energy and last up to 10 times longer—saving you about anywhere from $30 - $65 over the life of the bulb. So, yes, throw out the bulbs you have and replace them now. Although the bulbs are a little more expensive than standard bulbs, you’ll see the savings quickly.
Did you know that you also have vampires in your home! True... check back tomorrow for more details!
Article by: Sandy Wieber, MidAtlantic Farm Credit SVP Marketing
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