Many individuals are now researching ways that they can easily create a green home. Being “environmentally correct” is now the trend among the general population – especially in the United States. Many people are starting to install solar panels to the home so that they may use the power of the sun to produce the electricity that they need within the home. Others are installing wind power generators to produce electricity. Many are even reconstructing their homes using eco-friendly building materials. While these measures are appropriate to creating a green home, such drastic measures are not necessary to reduce your carbon footprint. In this do it yourself green guide, I will provide you with a few easy steps to creating a green home.

Unplug Electronics

Many individuals do not realize that the electronics in the home use power when they are not in use, but remain plugged in. A study conducted at Berkeley University concluded that appliances and other devices left plugged in when not in use results in 6% to 26% of the total costs that is incurred on the electric bill that is received monthly. Professionals refer to this power load as “Phantom Power”. Main culprits are computer systems, televisions, microwaves, and other devices. By unplugging these appliances when not in use, you will not consume as much power which means you are reducing the amount of fossil fuels that must be burned at power plants to provide you with electricity. By reducing the burning of these fuels, you are reducing the amount of carbon emissions that enter the atmosphere.

Lighting

We all need lights in the home, but if you want to create a green home, it is important to be highly selective about the type of lights that you utilize. While standard lights are relatively inexpensive, it is best to utilize compact fluorescent light bulbs. These are often referred to as “CFL” bulbs. Initially, these will be more expensive than standard lighting. Over time, though, you will save a lot of money as they are energy efficient. In addition to this, they last much longer than traditional lighting. By using these bulbs, you reduce the amount of energy that your home consumes and save money! In order to go green, be certain to turn off lights when not in use.

Reduce Water Consumption

If you want to create a green home, be sure that you take the time to discover ways to reduce water consumption. You should purchase devices that are referred to as “Aerators” and place them on the faucets in your kitchen as well as your bathroom. It is also important to purchase and install a shower head that is considered to be “low flow” to reduce the amount of water that is consumed while showering. You may also replace your toilet with a toilet that is considered to be “low flow”. If you water your yard and the plants contained in your yard or garden, you should install a nozzle that is considered to be water efficient and only engage in watering when necessary. Not only will these steps help make your home more green, you will save money on your utility costs.

Environmentally Friendly Household Cleaners

If you want your home to be greener, you should opt for household cleaners that are considered to be environmentally friendly. The toxins contained in many cleaners may clean effectively, but they emit fumes that may affect the environment in a negative manner. It is important to look for products that advertise being “biodegradable”, “eco-friendly”, or simply “green”. If you are unable to locate these types of items, you may create your own green cleaners. Using products like hydrogen peroxide, various types of vinegar, orange peels, and items that are similar will allow you to clean a multitude of surfaces throughout the home.

As you can see, there are many ways that you may make your home green. Sure, you may install solar panels, buy Energy Star appliances, install a wind power generator, or use environmentally friendly building materials, but it is not always necessary to go to these extremes. Just making simple changes like unplugging appliances when not in use, installing CFL bulbs, reducing water waste, and using only eco-friendly cleaners have a large impact on the environment that is positive.

Shawn is a Do-It-Yourselfer and has completed many home improvement projects. From these Shawn writes articles on various home improvement topics. For example, take a look at his new website regarding electric garage heaters [http://www.electricgarageheatersonline.com]. With cold weather on its way and plenty of projects still to complete, the need to keep his workspace warm is extremely important.

With last minute holiday shoppers abound, right now is the busiest time of year to be purchasing new electronic devices and gadgets. According to the Consumer Electronic Association’s annual CE Holiday Purchase Patterns Study, this year’s electronic holiday gift giving will reach an all time high; accounting for over one third of all holiday purchases. Computers are at the top of nearly every wish list throughout the country.

Sadly, most consumers do not have a plan to recycle or even dispose of old gadgets. This is the perfect time to recycle unwanted technology. If you do not recycle, it upon bringing that lovely new laptop or the ultra-chic iPod home chances are the old and unused gadgets will continue to clutter your home. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in 2009 alone over 5 million short tons of unwanted, unused recyclable technology waste was being held in storage throughout the country. Worse yet, in a cleaning frenzy, these older products may end up in a landfill rather than a recycling center simply out of desperation to de-clutter your home. By simply taking the time to correctly dispose of your old computer when you get a new one will reduce disorder in your home, help the earth and if you recycle through the Dell Reconnect program, create jobs and profit your local community. As an added bonus, if you chose to recycle your gadgets before the year’s end, that too can be a valuable tax write off!

Before recycling old computers, laptops, or tablets be sure to save all files and then wipe the hard drive of all personal data before donating/recycling it. After that, all you need to do is simply find a recycling center near you. Generally, the retailer that you bought the device from will take it back free of charge. You may also want to consider the program Reconnect, I mentioned earlier. Dell and Goodwill have created a partnership to better serve communities nationwide. All you need to do is find a Goodwill near you to drop off your device, even if it is not a Dell. Goodwill and Dell handles the rest. All proceeds from this go towards assisting those in local communities and Goodwill’s main priority of helping with job creation. In addition, this also cuts down on waste, pollution and environmental degradation, which is the priority of every eco-family. When dealing with Apple products, it is always advised to return them back to Apple. You can either ship them directly or return at your local retailer. While you are taking care of those unwanted devices don’t forget to include any accessories such as keyboards, speakers, mouse pads or ear buds to name just a few. All of these accessories can also be returned to the manufacturer, donated via Reconnect or if Goodwill isn’t near you, nearly any other thrift store can and will accept such accessories.

Computers and other technological devices are made of many, many different materials; some of which are very harmful to both our environment as well as humans directly. It is crucial to encourage and maintain recycling of techie-waste. As you can see, recycling it is simple and requires only a minimal amount of planning and virtually no work. However, such technological waste continues to be our country’s fastest growing section of waste in landfills nationwide. Consider not only doing your part, but also perhaps informing others so they too make more eco-friendly choices.