Taking care of the planet we all live on is very important and each of us has a responsibility to go greener with energy use, whenever possible. There are a wide variety of green energy technologies available that provide power from sustainable resources. How can these technologies be put to work for you? Read further to find out more.

Reduce the price of heating water in pools, hot tubs and inside your home by using solar-powered heating systems. Using natural gas or electricity is not as efficient as solar power, and solar water heaters can keep the water temperature steady. Certain upgrades, though expensive, qualify for specific tax deductions.

Keep your windows shaded when trying to conserve energy. Another suggestion for window treatments is installing curtains or blinds. If you do these things, you will cut your use of air conditioning throughout the warm months, as your home will be a bit cooler. Energy and money are both saved this way.

You can reduce the amount of electricity that you use, and be a better energy user by removing chargers that power your devices from outlets when they are not in use. Many chargers for various electronics continue to draw electricity even if they are not plugged into a device. The energy usage is not as high, but it wastes electricity and adds up to a considerable amount over time.

Do you have a lot of land? If you do, or if you are aware of someone that does, you may be able to rent some of the property to a local energy company that will install a type of wind turbine. You and your neighbors will benefit from free energy and this installation will not take a lot of space.

If you use fuel oil to heat your home, speak with a technician to see if it’s possible to change to bio-diesel. Sometimes you can make the switch to some use of biodiesel fuels without having to purchase new parts or make costly modifications. Biodiesel is cleaner and more efficient to burn than oil, and it has a better affect on the environment.

Keep drapes drawn when you are not home. This cools the house and cuts energy costs. Generally, the south-facing windows get the most sun because of their position. Use dark curtains, roman shades, roller shades or other coverings on all windows.

Don’t run the dishwasher unless it is filled to capacity. Regardless of how many dishes are inside, equal amounts of water and energy are used. Run your dishwasher using the energy-saving mode so that you can air-dry dishes and save energy.

Use a tankless water heater instead of one that uses a tank. Tankless heaters require less energy to heat water, as they only heat it as needed. You can purchase a tankless heater for a faucet or your whole home.

Pay attention to local and federal rebates for renewable energy updates on your home. Ask your utility company if they offer rebates for green energy upgrades. The federal government, or your city or state government, may also offer tax breaks. Receiving these kinds of credits and rebates can make installing the updates much less expensive for you.

Opt out of snail mail where possible, and choose to get bills and notices by email. To put it more simply, use paper as little as you can. Businesses will have a much easier time communicating with you, and they will be saving energy. Not to mention, it protects the environment for everyone.

Explore the possibility of using a solar-powered oven for some of your baking needs. You can make these with boxes, old windows or old pieces of foil that can be used for reflection. Solar ovens can be heated over 300 degrees and only use the sun for energy.

Green Energy

Green energy helps protect our environment. While every power source leaves some kind of footprint on the environment, green energy sources allow you to reduce the amount of damage done. Now that you have more information, you can begin to introduce some green into your life.