Three Small Things You Can Do To Live An Eco-Friendly Life Style

A lot of people are trying to live greener lifestyles, and many people are starting by making their homes more energy efficient.  Nationwide modular homes and modular building in general is very environmentally friendly, and energy efficient HVAC systems and energy efficient appliances can vastly improve the energy efficiency of a home.  Many energy efficient home owners think that they're automatically living a greener lifestyle because of their home, but a recent study shows that they could be wrong.

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) did a study on energy efficient homes and energy usage, and their research showed that some energy efficient homes still used a surprising amount of energy, and some have even managed to consume more energy than older homes.  Sometimes when people use energy efficient electronics they use them more than they usually would because they use less energy, but their spike in usage often negates the energy savings.  Don’t fall into the "green living" trap some people fall into, remember these simple living tips to ensure that you're living a true environmentally friendly life style.

Use Less Soap

Green living doesn't just involve consuming less energy, it also means consuming less resources overall.  Soap is an essential part of every home, laundry detergent, anti-bacterial body wash, and dish washing liquid make cleaning easy and convenient.  Soap is essential, but many contain harsh chemicals to give it the ability to form a thick lather and smell nice. 

A lot of people think that it's impossible to use too much soap, but many people use far too much dish soap and laundry detergent to wash their clothing and dishes.  This isn't just bad for the environment.  Excess soap can damage washing machines and dishwashers, encourage the growth of mold and mildew, and stiffen your clothing.  For the sake of the environment and the life of your appliances, cut down on your soap use and look for environmentally friendly versions of soap.

Switch Off The Power

Sometimes it's just easier to leave some appliances on than to turn them off, but if you're leaving appliances on when they aren't in use you're wasting electricity and wasting money.  When you aren't using these appliances, make sure that these energy guzzlers are unplugged:

·         Television: The average television can burn 10 watts per hour when it's in standby mode

·         DVD player: The average DVD player can burn 7 watts per hour in standby mode

·         Computer: Your PC can consume 15 watts per hour on standby, and the monitor alone can consume 11 watts in standby

Properly Dispose Waste

Your neighborhood probably has recycling collection along with regular garbage pick up, but recycling can go far beyond putting your plastic bottles and cans in a green bin.  Batteries, computers, and other old electronics are usually thrown out along with other garbage, but electronics need to be properly disposed of.  Look for an electronics recycling plant or drop off location by you to make sure that your technological waste is properly disposed of.  Also try to donate your old clothing instead of throwing them out, or look for a textile recycling plant near your hometown.