Dexter Daily Statesman: Local News: Going green to save some green (05/02/08)

This is the first part of a two-part series.

Typically, when one thinks of 'going green' the first things to come to mind are visions of solar power and people hugging trees, but that's not always the case.

At a time when everything in our everyday lives continues to get more expensive, going at least somewhat green can save you a lot of money in the long-term.

Numerous websites are devoted to teaching ways to go green, and here are a number of helpful suggestions that might help save you a few dollars along the way. These tips are from worldwatch.org, a website that specializes in tips and tricks for both going green and saving money.

Energy

Energy use is one of the first ways many people begin to watch what they spend and it is also one of the most lucrative aspects.

* Set your thermostat a few degrees lower in the winter and a few degrees higher in the summer to save on heating and cooling costs.

* Install compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) when your older incandescent bulbs burn out. While more expensive to purchase, the CFL bulbs last far longer and burn both cheaper and cleaner.

* Unplug appliances when you're not using them. Or, use a "smart" power strip that senses when appliances are off and cuts "phantom" or "vampire" energy use.

Some items like cell phone chargers, microwaves, televisions and computers use an alarming amount of energy even when not in use.

* Wash clothes and anything else in cold water whenever possible. As much as 85 percent of the energy used to machine-wash clothes goes to heating the water.

* Use a drying rack or clothesline to save the energy otherwise used during machine drying. If you must use a dryer, consider adding dryer balls to cut drying time.

Water

* Take shorter showers and turn the water off while you brush your teeth to reduce water use. This will lower both your water and heating bills too.

* Install a low-flow showerhead. They don't cost much, and the water and energy savings can quickly pay back your investment.

* Make sure you have a faucet aerator on each faucet. These inexpensive appliances conserve heat and water, while keeping water pressure high.

* Plant drought-tolerant native plants in your garden. Many plants need minimal watering. Many of the plants found right here in Southeast Missouri fit into that category because of our frequent drought conditions.

Ditch the bottled water and individually packaged drinks

* Use a water filter to purify tap water instead of buying bottled water. Not only is bottled water expensive, but it generates large amounts of container waste.

* Bring a reusable water bottle, preferably aluminum rather than plastic, with you when traveling or at work.

* Instead of buying packs of canned or bottled sodas. It's far cheaper and also saves on waste.

Look for part two of 'Going green to save green' in the Sunday edition of The Daily Statesman.

For more information on going green, visit http://www.worldwatch.org or http://www.thegreenguide.com

Good informative article, Corey. I've been installing fluorescent light bulbs in our new home here in Dexter. Some advice: They do interfere with the 42 mhz reception on police scanners, and they interfere with shortwave radio reception. They create a lot of static on shortwave much the same as a microwave oven does. They cause a police scanner to stop on the 42mhz frequency when scanning. That's a real pain! When I replaced my fluorescent bulbs with regular ones in the same room as my scanner and shrtwave radio, the interference stopped. There is no interference from those bulbs used in other rooms. Also, you will have to make sure you don't break a fluorescent bulb.

-- Posted by swift on Sat, May 3, 2008, at 12:08 PM

I read an article about going green for my college Chemistry course about a month ago and found some useful tips. One tip was to ruin the spin cycle twice on your washing machine before putting clothes in the dryer to cut down on drying time. This is especially helpful for drying towels and heavy jeans. Using an attic fan will help cool your house down and pull out heat and keeping the blinds closed keeps the sun out. We plant a large garden and pressure can everything possible to store. There are countless ways to save energy and money but it takes alot of effort on our part.

-- Posted by mizzou_mom on Mon, May 5, 2008, at 8:43 AM

Response by Corey:

Those are really some great ideas. Thanks for your input. We've used the attic fan faithfully for quite some time. It uses very little energy and can help keep your home's temperature several degrees lower throughout the day.

Thanks for reading!