By AJ McCreary, PIC Assistant Producer
Courtesy of Just Us 3
The topic of energy is on everyone’s minds. Green fever has had a lot of momentum. And, its something that you can think about not only to help the environment, but to help your bank account.
First we need to state what “being green” is. To be green means being environmentally conscious.
- Recycling
- Being energy conscious and responsible
- Taking action to curb harmful effects on the environment through consumer habits, behavior, and lifestyle.
Another important term is Sustainable Energy. Sustainable energy is renewable energy that does not rely on fossil fuels. Examples of renewable energies are:
- Solar Energy
- Wind Energy
- Hydropower
All of these renewable energy sources are expensive to generate but have few to no harmful effects on the planet.
So with all of the economic turmoil the question is: Will the green movement keep moving or will priorities be shifted?
The price of oil is going down, which means we could expect a little break at the pump and with our winter heating bills. This is great news for consumers. But with the cost of living on the rise, this is terrible news for the green movement. If it becomes cheaper to use traditional fuels, the green alternatives will be labeled a luxury and avoided by most.
What can you do to help the environment and save your pennies?
Though it is tempting to snatch up the savings where you can, we still need to be fuel conscious. As consumers we need to use gas wisely, and become product smart.
- Be conscious of your gas consumption, use a trip calculator.
- Maintain your car oil changes and tire presure, these two maintances can drastically help gas use.
- Drive less: use other forms of transportation: walking, biking, public tranportation, or carpool.
- Weatherize your home: check windows for air leaks, get a jacket for your hot water heater and uninulated pipes, invest in heavier curtains, put a towel at the bottem of door to help avoid drafts.
- Turn your hot water heater down to 120° and look into a programmable thermostat
- Use cold water when possible: washing clothes, dishes, and cleaning.
- Recycle: this will not only lower your garbage bill but most states give 5¢ refund for returned pop cans.
- Use reusable products: skip dispoable plates, cups, napkins, and diapers.
- Wear a sweater and socks, and sip on hot chocolate (or another war drink) rather than cranking up the heat.
- Keep lobbying for our political leaders to move forward with environmentally friendly energy sources.
