Home Design Ideas to Create a Home of Energy Saving "Green" Beauty

We live in a new world. The time for paying attention to our natural resources is now. We have woken to the realization that our world is not the inexhaustible support system we believed it to be.

Thankfully "going green" does not require extreme and costly changes. Making a significant difference in the worlds natural resources, only takes small decisions made one step at a time. We can decide to:

Recycle
Reuse
Restore
Reduce

With these 4 words in mind we have a few of the most wonderful ideas, tips and secrets to present. Simple and affordable going green ideas. And, if you choose to implement any or all of these suggestions you can be assured you are contributing to the over all health of the earth now and toward a more sustainable living environment for our future generations.

1. Going Green by Changing Your Lights. If every household in the U.S. replaced just one light bulb from the standard incandescent to the highly energy efficient luminescent bulbs being promoted today we would

Save A national average of $600,000,000. a year in energy costs.

Save Enough energy to light more than 3,000,000 homes for one year.

Save Green house gases equivalent to the emissions given off from over 800,000 cars.

Save Significant amounts on your energy bill. My husband spent one day replacing all the bulbs in our home. Not totally convinced it would make that much of a difference on our bill I supported his efforts more for the conservation aspects (and because he had turned off the TV) rather than the money saving pitch.

Boy was I surprised when the next electric bill came,

it dropped approximately 20%! or about 10 cents per

hour!

This change in bulb has one characteristic that may take some time getting used to. When you first turn on the lights - they appear dingy due to the fact they need to warm up a bit before they are at peak - light up the room - performance. They also initially cost a bit more but the standard life span far outlasts the basic bulb - from months to years.

Another energy saving tip is to install dimmer switches. Years ago these dimmers did not provide any benefit other than creating ambient light in a room. Today they are designed to minimize your electric consumption as well.

2. Going Green by Choosing an Eco Friendly Floor. If you are planning to replace your floor with hard wood there are two options that are delightfully green, look beautiful, perform well, and cost less than most hard woods.
Cork - Cork has come a long way from its original purpose of wine stopping.

It comes from the bark of a tree that can be harvested once every 10 years and does no damage to the tree at all. Like sheering a sheep! It's typically sold in tile or sheet form and is easy to install. Because cork contains millions of air bubbles - it is comfortable to walk on and easier on the feet when standing for long periods of time in the kitchen. It is also hypoallergenic, absorbs sounds, and acts as a thermal insulator which means warmth on the feet.

There are fabulous color and grain options available today so be sure to shop around!

There are a few drawbacks to consider. Cork does need to be sealed to moisture protect and is not very resistant to fading or punctures however, it does bounce back well when a heavy blunt object is dropped on it.

The other floor covering option is Bamboo - bamboo is definitely more competitive if you need a harder wood floor. Harder than oak yet it is made from a fast growing Asian grass that matures in about 6 years. It can be refinished numerous times with dye-based stains. Very eco-friendly.

Bamboo also offers a wonderful variety of color, grain and style. Have fun looking for the color and grain of this beautiful hard wood option. Did I mention it's priced lower than most oak options?

3. Going Green by Recycling or Restoring Your Furniture. Must you buy new furniture or can you refinish, restore, repaint or recycle?

Wonderful design projects can result from painting, restaining or reupholstering that piece that
is dated or worn. The most exciting aspect of recycling furniture is the money saved.

Sandpaper, paint and associated supplies are relatively inexpensive. Door knobs, drawer pulls can
really change up the look of that tired piece of furniture also with minimum expense. A picture says a thousand words especially in this case. Visit the web site listed below to see some fantastic examples of these furniture restoring options.

Design applications usually last about 10 years. The neutral - earthy colors we have been seeing so often has been around since the late 90's so it's on its way out. This year you will start seeing bold, bright colors being applied to accent walls, furniture and textures. So, don't be afraid to experiment with color, fabric textures and brush techniques. This is the year for bold, bright and beautiful! Go for it.

Another idea you may want to entertain is a fantastic option to buy "slightly used" from your local Good Will or Salvation Army. With a bit of frugal redesign "know how" you can create remarkable results.

4. Going Green by Buying Energy Star Appliances. Energy Star is the U.S. Governments Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy Seal of approval system to confirm a products ability to avoid/limit greenhouse gases without sacrificing quality.

When you purchase an Energy Star item you can be assured you have a product that will reduce energy consumption and save you money when used in your home, guaranteed through the entire life span of the appliance.

2007 stats from www.energystar.gov reports that consumers "saved enough energy in 2007 alone to avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 27 million cars - all while saving $16,000,000,000. (16 Billion) on their utility bills.

Wow - Good Job! Let's keep up the good work!

Sue Krippner is a Free Lance Artist, Home Staging and Redesign Professional. She is attracted to "all things beautiful, especially as it relates to interior decorating and design. Visit http://frugalhomedesign.com to see samples of her art and find plenty of professional design, tips hints and secrets to help facilitate your personal interior design goals with money saving frugal flair.

Save Money on Air Conditioning Costs

Many people don't realize that their cooling system is one of the biggest energy guzzlers in their home (second only to their heating system, depending on where their live). If you have an old air conditioning system with a SEER rating of less than 8, it may be worthwhile to consider replacing it with a more energy efficient system. Generally speaking you should be able to recoup the cost in just a few years.

So what exactly is SEER? SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio and is a measure of the cooling efficiency of your air conditioner or heat pump. The higher the SEER number, the more efficient the system is at converting electricity into cooling power.

Matching your AC unit size to your needs is important, too. An air conditioning unit that is too big for the room will work harder and cost you more.

It's also important to remember that because your AC unit can be such an energy guzzler reducing your AC bill helps more then just you and your checking account - it also helps the environment. When the average US household uses 9,000 killowatt hours a year any reduction in power usage helps the environment. Consider this - generating 9,000 killowatt hours of electricity generates as much pollution as driving 13,392 miles in a car.

Here are some more fast, free and easy ways to lower your air conditioning bill.

• Close drapes on the sunny side of your house.
• Close off rooms that you aren't using and the cooling ducts to those rooms.
• Turn off lights when not in use - because lights produce heat they make your air conditioning system work harder (and cost more).
• Turn off your computer and other home office equipment - because they generate heat as well.

If you can afford to invest a little money into your AC existing system you have a few more options. You can:

• Install a programmable thermostat (preferably one that offers zone control)
• Check and replace your filters regularly, a dirty filter can actually cost be costing you money each month.
• Install aftermarket energy saving devices such as a Cool-N-Save(tm)

Remember because your AC unit has the potential to draw so much electricity by maintaining and optimizing your current system you can reap substantial financial benefits.

Sam Greyhawk is an energy efficiency evangelist who works for Cool-N-Save(tm), an Energy Star Partner, in Huntington Beach, California. The Cool-N-Save can save you up to 30% each month on your AC electric bill.

Paper Towels - 3,000 Tons of Landfill Waste Each Day

With over 90% of US households taking advantage of the convenience of paper towels we produce over 3,000 tons of waste each day. Is this problem insurmountable? No - if each home simply replaced one roll of their traditional paper towels with paper towels made from recycled paper, we could avoid wasting 3.4 million cubic feet of landfill space and prevent 864,000 trees from being cut down.

The Benefits of Recycled Paper Towels

By using recycled paper towels we are doing much more than just reducing landfill waste. According to Ideal Bite, "For every ton of 100% recycled paper that is bought, about 4000kWh of energy and 7,000 gallons of water are saved. It also avoids releasing 60 lbs of pollutants into the air."

Reducing Paper Towel Waste

Even using recycled paper towels people tend to have wasteful habits. What can you do to graciously help remind people to reduce their paper towel consumption? You can participate in campaigns against consumer paper waste. It is these very wasteful habits that motivate projects like "These Come From Trees."

"Remember... These Come From Trees"

According to the "These Come From Trees" blog they are an "experiment in environmentalism, viral marketing, and user interface design with the goal of reducing consumer waste paper!" What exactly is this "experiment?" Using low cost vinyl stickers and guerilla marketing tactics the ad-hoc "The Come From Trees" team spread the message of reducing consumer paper waste. Here is a breakdown of their strategy:

• People just like you affix vinyl "Remember... These Come From Trees" stickers to public area paper towel dispensers.

That's it. To quote the These Come From Trees Blog, it really is amazing "how the right message at the right time can make the difference." Since each sticker includes a URL for people to visit (http://www.thesecomefromtrees.com/) they help promote public awareness to this growing issue.

How Effective Are Projects Like This?

According to testing completed by the These Come From Trees team, their awareness stickers can reduce paper towel consumption by up to 15%, they continue, stating each sticker can save about 100 lbs of paper a year which is the equivalent to one tree. When you consider that the average coffee shop uses around 1000 lbs of paper towels and the average fast food restaurant with two restrooms can use up to 2000 lbs a year, 15% can add up to a lot of savings.

What about Reusable Replacements for Paper Towels?

Even though paper towels are commonplace they are not the only solution, products made of cotton or linen can be washed and reused many times over. In some cases sponges which offer a longer product lifetime, can handle the work you may normally relegate to a paper towel.

Choosing the Best Option for the Situation

While you can easily control your options at home and guerilla projects like "Remember... These Come From Trees" remind people to reduce their usage in public areas, it's important to always understand the best option for each situation you find yourself in - environmentally speaking.

If you are drying your hands and have the choice between an electric hand dryer and paper towels, what is the best choice for the environment? While electric hand dryers have the environmental cost of the electricity used to power them, in terms of overall energy costs, solid waste, maintenance and janitorial costs, electric hand dryers are more efficient than paper towels. While electric hand dryers are continually improved by manufacturers and continue to get more energy efficient, the paper towel has, for all intents and purposes, reached it's plateau.

Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

While you are constantly bombarded by the three R's, "Reduce, Reuse and Recycle," this is yet another case where the three R's offer society the best solution. By reducing our paper towel usage, we can prevent more trees from being cut down and prevent the emissions created by the manufacturing of new paper. By moving towards more reusable options such as washable cloth, we can stop the cycle of waste completely. By purchasing recycling paper products and recycling our paper products at the end of their lives we can conserve our valuable natural resources and reduce emissions.

Convenience items such as paper towels began as a luxury, became commonplace and now are subject to mass abuse. Who pays the cost for this abuse? The environment. By making smarter choices we can reduce the paper waste we contribute to and recycle our existing paper products. With an ever growing population and a static land size we are faced with the sobering prospect of running out of our precious natural resources. Do you part by remembering to conserve what and where you can.

Sam Greyhawk is an energy efficiency evangelist working with Cool-N-Save(tm), an Energy Star Partner, based in Huntington Beach, California.

Cool-N-Save(tm) is an amazing new energy efficiency add-on for air conditioners and aircon units. It can be installed in only 10 minutes with no tools required. In the hottest summer months, your air conditioner can be responsible for up to 90% of your electric bill each month. Cool-N-Save(tm), an air conditioner mister, has been scientifically proven by Tulane University to improve air conditioner efficiency by up to 30% - which translates into real monthly savings for you. Saving energy helps fight global warming and Cool-N-Save(tm) is a cost effective way to reduce your energy use.

Solar Water Heater Sytems

In general, solar water heater systems can be more costly to purchase and setup than standard gas or electric water heating systems. However, by using a solar heater you will definitely save money on the long run.. By selecting to use solar energy technology you can expect to save around 50 to 80% on your electricity bills.

Gathering energy coming from the sun to heat water is not a new idea at all. Such technology using solar power for heating water exists since the year 1800. Producing warm water with solar energy can be employed about every where in the world and the sun and some special equipment is the only thing needed.

The key parts of a solar water heater are the solar collectors that grab and concentrate the energy coming from the sun and the storage tank. Such simple setup is usually called passive solar power. When mechanical and electrical devices such electric pumps are installed in the system to push the water it is then called solar active. To keep the water hot for long period of time a good insulation should be made to the storage tank.

Usually you will find two types of solar water heater: the two-tank and the one-tank and solar collectors exist in quite a few designs but in general glazed flat-plate collectors are widely used on solar water heater systems. Solar collectors can be fixed on the roof of your house or on the ground and in both cases, for best performance they should preferably be pointing south.

Installing a solar water heater will not cover all your hot water needs this is why you also need a traditional electric or gas water heater for days of bad weather where there is no sunshine. Despite this little inconvenient you can expect to make substantial savings.

Armand Hadife is the owner of
http://www.outdoor-solar- lights.com
http://www.home-solar-systems.com
http://www.wind-power-generator.com

Homemade Solar Panels - Why Use Free Renewable Solar Energy to Power Your Home?

The question above already speaks of the bountiful benefits that solar energy bequeaths us. Building your own solar panels can be a great way to cut your exorbitant monthly utility bills at least by half as well as allows you to do your part for the environment. Solar power is free and renewable and the conversion process releases zero toxic emissions into our environment. And the process can also be a fun and enjoyable experience for yourself and the entire family too.

You will derive great benefits when you start adopting your very own residential solar power to drive your home appliances. You will soon see your utility bills reduced by at least 80 percent constantly almost the moment you put your solar power system to use, not to mention that this is a renewable and sustainable source of energy throughout its lifespan. You will no longer be at the mercy of the ever rising energy prices. This way, you are slowly but surely liberated from non-renewable power sources, have the freedom to own and use your power as you see fit and be wean off power outages for a long time to come. On top of all this, you are doing your bit to fight global warming reduce your carbon footprint and even be eligible for green energy tax credits.

And while the cons of expensive solar panels used to deter people from adopting solar power for homes, it is no longer so with the advent of a few good manuals currently available in the market. The good guides can literally teaches you the entire process from creating, assembly and installation of your homemade solar panels. Note that you should look out for guides with very specific how to do instructions and design diagrams, directions on where and how to find the required components and materials. The good guides comes with thorough step by step videos that walk you through the critical stages and even comes with member discussion forums for experience sharing and further coaching.

Homemade solar panels will cost you less than 200 dollar per panel to create and you can immediately use them to power your home. Compare this to ready made solar panels setting you back by 3000 dollars per panel, building your own solar panels system is a steal.

So if you are ready to slash your utility bills by at least half, and build your very own homemade solar power system, start searching for that home made solar power guide now.

Join the thousands of families tapping on Free Renewable Energy. Visit SolarWindEnergyDIY.com for Your Complete Solar Power Guide Review.

Also Find more information here to Build Your Own Solar Panels and Save 80 percent on Your Electricity Bills.

Earth4Energy Manual Review - Earth4Energy Scam?

Does the Earth4Energy Manual really work, or is it just a scam? After searching on the internet for ways to reduce my electricity bill, I stumbled upon this home energy guide that made me really curious but skeptical at the same time. I was desperate to reduce the amount of money I was spending on electricity every month, so I eventually ended up purchasing the manual to try out the windmill and solar system inside.

1. What Are The Benefits Of Using The Earth4Energy Manual?

After buying the materials and building the systems with the step-by-step instructions inside the guide, I am now able to produce enough energy to run my PCs and television set. Eventually, I am thinking about increasing the number of systems to power my entire house with it. In short, Earth4Energy really does work and I am pleased with the cost savings that I am experiencing with it today.

2. What I Learned Inside the Earth4Energy Manual

This guide contains easy to follow instructions that taught me how to build my own windmills and solar panels. These 2 renewable energy systems are able to generate electricity for my house and help me save costs.

You also need not know where to get the materials to build the 2 systems, as the Earth4Energy manual has listed the items and also states the cheapest sources for them. It is also important to learn how to maintain the windmill and solar panels so as to ensure that they do not wear out quickly. The manual contains a chapter that teaches you all about maintenance.

Thousands of people have already eliminated their own home electricity bills with this free energy system. They learned how to build it by downloading a step-by-step guide online. You can find out more about how to build this homemade power system at the website link below.

Is Earth4Energy Manual a scam? Do not try any windmill and solar power system scams until you read the author's review of the Best Home Energy Systems at http://www.renewableenergysystemreview.com first!

The author has managed to reduce his energy bill by more than 80% by building his own renewable home energy system. Check out his website to find out how to do it!

Is Nuclear Power Safe? You Decide

Nuclear power is an alternative to using fossil fuels and it is something that many countries are researching. You will find that nuclear power plants are spread through out most major countries and that the governments are actually trying to stop the spreading of these plants, simply because of the danger that bring in the cases of nuclear accidents. A nuclear accident could end up destroying a large area of the country and eventually the world.

However, you will find that the nuclear power is mostly safe for the general public, including the public that fears nuclear plants. You will want to learn the process of nuclear power so that you can raise awareness about all of the benefits of the power, but become known and familiar with the disadvantages of nuclear power. With this knowledge the community can take a stand against nuclear power.

Uranium is the start of nuclear power. Over 99% of the uranium that is found in the earth cannot be used to create nuclear power. However, with that 99% is some that could be used for your advantage. Nuclear power works in much of the same way that burning fossil fuels work.

Heat is created in a process known as fission, and this heat is used to create steam. You might find that the steam is expanded and that is what runs the turbine generator. Then the generator will produce electricity that will be delivered your homes across the country.

When uranium rods are placed into a reactor you will get fission. Neutrons are sent to smash into the uranium, and the nucleus of the uranium atoms split in half. This chemical reaction causes heat, which is picked up by carbon dioxide that has been pumped into the reactor.

This process is safer than most people think. When the reactor gets too hot or over heated, you will find that a fire is caused and then uranium is let into the environment. However, cooling rods, made of boron, can be used to quickly stop the nuclear reaction process.

If the reactor gets too hot, boron rods are lowered into it with a special crane, and the boron absorbs the neutrons. In the case of human error, a backup system is set into place in which boron rods are automatically lowered into the reactor.

Also, you should find that the reactor can become flooded with nitrogen and water when the reactor is over heated. This permanently damages the reactor, so it is a last resort, but it is an automated system that prevents disaster.

You should learn both the advantages and the disadvantages for nuclear power before you make a judgment on whether it is good for you or not. You will find that there is a lot of use, but there are lots of risks too. This form of energy needs to be pursued with caution.

James Veach is an Alternative Fuel Enthusiest who takes pride in helping the average consumer. Learn options in the energy field that can bring you big savings when it comes to saving energy and fuel. Join the revolution against high energy prices today!

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