If you’ve felt the squeeze what with many salaries frozen or reduced and energy prices and fuel costs increasing then you may be interested in knowing how to save money on your energy bills.  If it’s not money you’re interested in then perhaps you would like to know how to be more energy efficient and kinder to the environment.  Whatever the reason, most of us wouldn’t dare argue with the person who tells us we should be more energy efficient.

So how can we do this I hear you say?  Well here are some top tips to get you started.  You may just find it makes the world of difference……….

1.       Insulate your home

This may seem like a major change to your property but it really is no big deal and the government may even help you with the cost of it.  Approximately half of the heat in your house is lost through the walls and roof so you can imagine how much saving you could make on your heating bill should you have proper insulation installed.  Cavity wall insulation alone can save you about £100 per year in heating bills and 750kg per year in CO2 emissions.  Basically what’s involved is filling the cavity (gap) between the two walls with insulating materials designed to absorb heat. 

Although logic may suggest the contrary, solid walls in fact lose even more heat than cavity walls.  There are weather-proof insulating treatments available which can also save you hundreds of pounds in heating bills and tonnes of CO2 emissions. 

There are many different ways that you can insulate your home.  You can even lay mineral wool padding underneath timber floor boards which would also save you a significant amount of money each year.  Ensuring you have a minimum of 270mm thickness of loft insulation will further decrease your bills and make the house feel warmer. 

2.       Turn your appliances off standby

We have heard it time and time again yet we still choose to ignore it for the sake of convenience.  However have a think for what else you could spend that £40 per year on should you choose to turn off your appliances.  Perhaps a nice dress or a dinner in your favourite Italian?

If you’re not sure whether or not your appliance is fully turned off then here is a guide; If you’re switching it off via a remote then it is most probably on standby.  It is important that you use the power switch on the appliance or the plug at the wall.  If the charger or power pack is warm or has a light on then it is likely to be using power and costing you money. 

3.       Choose energy efficient appliances

Make the energy efficient rating when purchasing an appliance the priority, not how it looks.  Most energy efficient appliances will have labels on them to clearly indicate how energy efficient it is.  Appliances with the Energy Savings Trust Recommended label are in the top 20 per cent in energy efficiency. 

The European Union energy label helps you understand how energy efficient an appliance is.  A scale is utilised ranging from green to red.  ‘A’ is the most energy efficient and ‘G’ is the least energy efficient.  The best energy efficient appliances will have a rating of ‘A+’, ‘A++’, and ‘A+++’. 

If it’s an appliance you use regularly such as a television, washing machine, dishwasher, or iron, then it is likely to save you a lot of money every year.  The saving may even buy you a budget holiday on the coast somewhere!

4.       Go solar

Although solar power has been around for many years some of us still see it as a ‘new-age fad’ that will pass with time.  However solar power has stood the test of time and saved many people a lot of money in their energy bills.  Some people even make money from installing solar panels by selling the overspill of electricity to electric suppliers. 

There are two different types of solar technologies that can be installed to your house in order to save you money; solar photovoltaic that produces electricity, and solar thermal that produces hot water.

Aqua Protection has helped thousands of families save money on their energy bills, whilst contributing to a greener future. 

You can make a difference on your energy bills and contribute to a safer and more environmentally stable future by living by these top tips.  They are small changes that can make big differences.  Don’t delay and get in touch with people who can help today. 

This article was written by Debbie Smith from Aqua Protection, a UK company who specialise in Solar Panels for your home and many other services.

Want to Start Making Solar Power at Home? Check out these instructions for building your own solar power. Includes videos, ebook, diagrams, and all the plans you need to get off the power grid and start saving some green while going green.

The Small Business Administration says that as many as 52 percent of Americans who work are employed by small businesses. But while you may be more or less familiar with small businesses, you may not realize the powerful effect the small business world has on your environment. Reducing the carbon footprint that small businesses have a part in doesn’t require fancy tools or big budgets. Instead, becoming more eco-friendly, even when working for or running a small business is simple and can help you accept a role in creating a more sustainable business. Follow these easy tips to help your business become increasingly environmentally friendly.

Use recycled paper – Simply using recycled paper for printed items can make a small dent in paper waste within your office.

Take advantage of technology – Advances in technology have made it possible to hold meetings with the click of the mouse or a simple conference call. Videoconferencing programs, like Skype, can help you spend less time traveling and more time on the task at hand.

Email – Emailing clients and customers with your monthly newsletter can whittle the time you spend proofing printing as well as reduce the costs that accompanying printing. In addition to being a great way to cut costs and become more efficient, email newsletters are easy to track and can reveal whether your efforts are successful by providing information about how many people read your newsletter and how many actually clicked through to your website or additional information.

If paper is necessary, recycle – In some instances, using paper for flyers or print material is necessary to achieve the results you desire. But while using paper may be important, reminding those who receive your correspondence to recycle the paper can be helpful in reducing waste.

Shop locally – Buying goods and using vendors that are local means you don’t have to pay the extra costs for shipping and also helps reduce pollution.

Take advantage of the internet – The internet gives you access to countless consumers who may want your goods or services. In addition to giving you access to consumers you may not normally be able to reach with your small business, it also saves time and money, without forcing consumers to have to drive to your location. Selling your products and services online can also give consumers 24/7 access to your company and brand and allow effective and cheap communication between you and your customers.

Use sustainable promotional goods – While it may seem tempting to buy cheap promotional products, like plastic water bottles, the resulting waste will not help your company once the good is tossed in the trash. Instead, promote your business with products that last and don’t end up in our landfills. Mugs or reusable water bottles will last longer and are better for the environment.

Use green office products – Many companies provide sustainable office products that can be just as effective in your office as their traditional counterparts. Seek green certified to insure the products you buy are actually green.

Try reusable and recycled envelopes – There are an array of reusable envelopes that can be effective for your marketing campaigns. Recycled post consumer content envelopes are also a great option for your direct mail items.

Be mindful of your transportation – When traveling for business; use a vehicle that gets good gas mileage. Public transportation and carpooling can also be a good option for you and your employees when viable.

List your products on green websites – Websites like GreenSeal.org and Goodguide.com are good resources for your company if you sell sustainable products or if you are particularly mindful of the green movement. They give other green-minded consumers and companies access to your business.

Promote green behavior – Promoting green behavior in your customers can be as simple as giving them some incentive to adopt healthy behaviors ad habits. Coupons and savings for those who volunteer within your community is just one way to help while promoting your business.

Encourage green behavior within – While promoting sustainable habits within your circle of consumers is vital, it can be even simpler to provoke such behavior among co-workers and employees.

Use recycled goods for shipping purposes – Shredded paper that may otherwise be thrown away can be the perfect barrier for the packages you send, saving money on shipping products while eliminating waste.

Look for green methods of printing – Printing is often unavoidable but can be done is a more green way by using eco-friendly printers and products to complete in house printing. Look on the web for green certified products and companies.

List your website – While you find yourself interested in other companies who try to adopt more environmentally friendly business practices, they are also seeking to work with like companies. List your website and information on green listings, which specifically highlights other green minded businesses.

Encourage feedback – Feedback from customers and potential customers can be helpful and offer powerful insight into improvement opportunities for your business and costs nothing at all. Yelp is one example of a site where your customers can find you and review you, giving potential consumers an idea of what you are all about.

Give your customers the choice – Buying mailing lists for marketing campaigns can provide hit or miss opportunities. Instead, let consumers opt whether or not they receive offers and information from you. Less marketing materials will be wasted and you will receive more business for less money and effort.

Give back – Some business practices may be somewhat necessary yet, may not always be the healthiest for our planet. Giving back to organizations that help the environment can help offset some of the problems you may not be able to avoid as a small business. TreesForTravel.info is an example of one such charity.

 

Danny is a veteran commercial lender with over fifteen years of experience in accounts receivable funding. For more information on how to grow your business with the right funding company visit http://www.factorfunding.com.

Want to Start Making Solar Power at Home? Check out these instructions for building your own solar power. Includes videos, ebook, diagrams, and all the plans you need to get off the power grid and start saving some green while going green.

Imagine how great it would be if you could claim all of your personal saved energy on your tax returns? Well, this is slowly becoming the case with efficient energy users. Persons who have been efficient with their energy usage over the past year or so will be able to receive tax incentives for saved energy. This is a profound concept as it highlights the new focus on saving energy in America.

 

Most persons save energy for one reason: it makes their energy bill a lot cheaper. This is great because not only does it result in a low energy bill, but it also allows another person to have access to energy. With America becoming increasingly critical on energy issues due to the apparent and slowly growing lack of renewable energy sources, the nation has decided to give tax incentives for saving energy.

This new innovation is very attractive to homeowners because not only do they get to keep their electricity bills low, but they also get to make more money as a result of the money they have saved by receiving tax breaks. Just recently, the government issued a new decree that says that individuals who purchase energy efficient products or a renewable energy system for their home may be eligible to receive a tax break on their next tax return. Around April 15 every year, parents scurry to claim children on their tax returns in order to get more money. With that being said, it is very possible and logical that the idea of tax breaks will indeed force or coax more persons to go out and buy these items and begin to save.

One challenging barrier is that these energy-saving machines usually have a high initial starting price. These prices may prove to be too steep for average Americans leading them to bypass them during their daily shopping rounds. However, studies have shown that through the purchase of these energy efficient items, the money saved will eventually surpass the money spent, or in other words the input costs. This does not even include the tax incentives that these persons receive. It also helps to think of it in a way like this. The more items that are bought to make a family more efficient and help lower bills will also have positive effects elsewhere. Therefore, it is wise to invest in such energy-saving systems, so that you can receive tax breaks on your next tax return. Furthermore, your monthly bills will be significantly reduced.

There are many different reasons why some people avoid buying energy efficient products or systems. One may be because a person lacks the input costs. That is a plausible reason, however, for those that can afford the input costs it makes all the difference to become energy friendly due to the number of tax incentives that are offered. Besides personal benefits, people saving energy will help reduce the use of fossil fuels and help improve the environment which is essentially the goal of these tax incentives.

 

Author Info: This article is contributed by Haliyma B. who is a professional freelancer living in New York. Haliyma has keen interest in environmental issues, and regularly contributes articles on various energy technologies.

 

Want to Start Making Solar Power at Home? Check out these instructions for building your own solar power. Includes videos, ebook, diagrams, and all the plans you need to get off the power grid and start saving some green while going green.

 

 

 

This article was written by Housework Heroes. Get in touch to learn about their house cleaning services and their cleaning franchise opportunities.

 

 

Want to Start Making Solar Power at Home? Check out these instructions for building your own solar power. Includes videos, ebook, diagrams, and all the plans you need to get off the power grid and start saving some green while going green.