| Did you know you can put money in your pocket | | | | 7. Find out if Green Electricity is available in your area, |
| and be environment friendly around the house? Here | | | | and if it is, go with the green! Unfortunately, green |
| are 12 ways to save money and the environment. | | | | electricity isn't yet available in all areas, but it will be |
| 1. Take advantage of convenience foods and use | | | | eventually, so keep checking! |
| your microwave more than you use your oven or | | | | 8. Remember your own power, and use your own |
| stove top. The microwave cooks food in a very | | | | power, instead of electricity, whenever possible. For |
| short amount of time, and uses way less energy | | | | instance, you can mash potatoes without a mixer. |
| than the stove uses. This saves you money, and it | | | | You can open cans with a handheld can opener. You |
| saves the environment. | | | | can use a knife instead of a food processor. These |
| 2. Replace light fixtures with those that take | | | | are all small changes, and it really doesn't take long to |
| fluorescent bulbs. Use smaller fluorescent fixtures, as | | | | do these things. These small changes can save you |
| these save energy, which saves you money, all while | | | | big money. |
| saving the environment. Fluorescent bulbs also last | | | | 9. Invest in weather stripping around all doors and |
| longer than regular bulbs, which saves you even | | | | windows, and insulation for your home. If your home |
| more money. | | | | sits up on rafters or blocks, the open space below is |
| 3. Plant trees! Not only will you be increasing the | | | | costing you money, and harming the environment. |
| oxygen in the air, and beautifying your lawn and | | | | Block it off, and insulate it as best as you can. It may |
| community, but you will also eventually be shading | | | | be an expense now, but it will be a savings in the |
| your house, which will help to keep it insulated a bit | | | | near future. |
| better. You guessed it; this will save you money in | | | | 10. Purchase insulation for your hot water heater. |
| the long run. | | | | Some experts suggest an insulated blanket, but in |
| 4. Put security lights and other lights on timers, or | | | | some cases, this could be dangerous. Instead, find |
| invest in motion sensor lighting outdoors. There is no | | | | insulation that is specifically meant for hot water |
| need to leave the porch light burning all night. | | | | heaters. This saves energy. |
| 5. If you must use your oven, realize that this also | | | | 11. Use ceiling fans in your home. Turn it on when you |
| causes your air condition unit to work harder, and it | | | | are in the room - and turn it off when you leave the |
| also uses a great deal of energy even if you don't | | | | room. Ceiling fans move the air, and make it more |
| have air conditioning. Each time you open the oven | | | | comfortable, at a fraction of the cost of turning |
| door, you reduce the temperature inside by about | | | | down the thermostat. They even save money in the |
| thirty degrees, which means that the oven must | | | | winter time. Heat rises, and ceiling fans force the air |
| work harder to heat back up. | | | | back down to heat the room, which of course |
| 6. Invest in new windows for your home. You may | | | | means that you don't have to turn that thermostat |
| not see this as a savings right now, but it really is in | | | | up. |
| the long run. Choose energy efficient windows, and in | | | | 12. Provide shade for your air conditioning unit. This |
| the long run, you will save loads of money on your | | | | helps it to operate more efficiently, which of course |
| heating and cooling bills. | | | | saves you money. |