How to Save on Utilities Expense by Going Green

With greener living much more accessible these days, you can make some changes in your life and also save money by going green.  You can cut back on your utilities expense by also going green today.  In a time where environmental damage and pollution is a major and continuing concern, going green just makes sense and is also a cost effective method.

If you are thinking that going green may be tedious or even expensive, the truth is, that going green is actually quite easily accessible and affordable nowadays.  As a matter of fact, if done correctly, you can save a lot of money by going green and incorporating Eco friendliness into your lifestyle.

Below are some tips on how you can save on your utilities expense by going green :

1. You can lower you winter heating costs by some level if you can stand to live in a home that is at least two or three degrees lower in thermostat.  In the summertime months, just allow the air conditioning to cool down your house a little bit and this can enable you to avoid using air conditioning to cool your house.  Only open your windows in the evening or when there is a breeze outside if you would like to cool your house in the hot summer months.
2. Wash your clothes using cold water, this will also help you to reduce your overall utilities expense as you aren’t using water that will require heating before hand.  Washing your clothes with hot water takes a lot of energy and this will show up in your monthly bill.
3. Never dry your clothes using your dryer , this process uses way too much energy and it can be expensive to use.  The outside air is great for drying your clothes especially in the summer months you can get a clothes line in your backyard, here you can put out your clothes
4. Use compact fluorescent bulbs to light up your house, they only use up 10% of the energy as compared to regular light bulbs, these light bulbs also last 10 times longer.  If you would like to further decrease your utilities expense, you can use LED bulbs as they can be almost twice as energy efficient as CFL light bulbs.
5. Make sure that your home is much more environmentally friendly by incorporating green living such as heat controlled thermostat.  You can set the maximum and minimum heat you want the thermostat to warm up to in order to avoid any wasteful energy and rise in the furnace heat.

Natural Bed and Bedding Products

With the rising popularity of memory foam, one may be familiar with the advantages of it’s ultimate comfort and support, but you may not be aware of potential health risks of  memory foam mattresses. Like most mattresses, including the standard latex bed, a fire retardent chemical is a manditory requirement. This, and the contents of memory foam itself (even mattress toppers), is the source of potential toxins you may breathe in every night.

If you have allergies or asthma, a memory foam mattress can be a great solution. It is naturally resistant to mildew and house dust mites, so may be the best option for some people. However, if you have concerns about the chemicals in memory foam, you might consider the natural version made by the rubber tree plant

Finding natural bed and bedding products on the market today is becoming more readily available. In addition to natural memory foam, you can find natural and organic bedding made with cotton, bamboo or Merino wool bedding. As organic cotton, wool and bamboo products are becoming more and more popular, buying organic may not be as expensive as you think. Regardless of the cost of natural products, your health is worth it.   Be sure you know all your options.

Organic Furniture is Eco Friendly

When you are in the market for new bedroom furniture, you might consider organic furniture as a healthy, eco friendly choice. Organic furniture is made with untreated wood products free of harsh chemicals. Even moreso, the production of this type of furniture is made with sustainability in mind. For peace of mind and to do your part for the environment, organic furniture may be for you.

Eco friendly style does not mean lack of style. With a rising popularity of eco conscious goods and materials, you will find most stores will supply organic products – particularly high quality stores. Though, as with most things organic, putting the label “organic” on anything raises the price. If you shop around as a savvy consumer, you will find variety enough to make the best decisions.

If buying new organic bedroom furniture isn’t in your budget, you could go the recycle route and choose older wood furniture. If this is choice, then select solid all-wood materials such as maple, walnut and pine. While older wood products will have been treated with chemicals, your conscience (and your pocketbook) may be eased by reusing old products versus bying new.

Whether you need custom adjustable beds or bunk beds for your child’s room, going organic doesn’t have to take a bite out of your budget. If you shop wisely and do your homework, you can make eco friendly choices to lessen your carbon footprint on the world.

Natural Memory Foam Mattresses

You’ve probably read or heard about the NASA made memory foam material now used to make mattresses. It’s an incredible material that forms to the body, reacting to the body’s own heat. It supports you naturally where it is needed and because of this gives you an incredibly refreshing quality of sleep. Ideal for back and joint pain, a memory foam mattress is a dream to sleep on.

Memory foam is made of polyurethane, an oil based product. Because it is flammable like most mattresses, memory foam is also loaded with fire retardand chemicals. These are chemicals you breathe in every night and not something you might consider very eco friendly. But there is an alternative to regular memory foam mattresses or mattress toppers. If you are looking to buy a single mattress for your child, you may consider a less toxic choice.

Natural memory foam is made of a rubber plant base. It does not have harsh chemicals and is considered ideal for allergy sufferers and those with asthma as well. Regular memory foam is just as safe, but for some people, the chemical smell is hard to get used to. In that case, natural memory foam may be the best solution.

Natural memory foam vs regular memory foam, it’s the most luxurious mattress that gives the ultimate comfort for a refreshing sleep available today.

Pesticide Bans – Ontario is the World Leader

Ontario has taken a step toward being the world leader for pesticide regulation. On April 21st, the province released the toughest pesticide ban in the world. The ban included 80 ingredients and 250 products. The products and ingredients on the list can no longer be sold or used for use in home garden care. The ban does not affect pesticide use in farming, forestry and for health reasons.

Safety concerns prompted the ban on pesticides. According to Premier Dalton McGuinty, the safety of children is of primary concern. The ban includes “cosmetic” pesticides which are used to kill pests, weeds and get rid of other problems on private lawns, gardens and school yards. Insecticides, fungicides and herbicides are all part of the new ban.

Pesticides can be used to get rid of dangerous pests, like wasps or mosquitoes carrying West Nile. For other needs, consumers can use bio-pesticides that suffocate the pests or discourage them from attacking plants.

Having a healthy green lawn and a beautiful garden can be easy with a few changes in your habits and gardening techniques. For your lawn, invest in a small weeding tool like a claw and pull weeds by hand when the soil is damp. Overseed the lawn to grow more grass and choke out weeds and be sure to aerate the lawn to keep it healthy. In the garden, use mulch around plants to encourage healthy growth. Copper barriers, cut worm collars and diatomaceous earth can help reduce pests in the garden.

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