' The bulbs will pay for themselves in about six months and use 75% less energy and the light bulb lasts ten times longer than a standard bulb (CFL, 2009, EPA). Replacing windows and doors with energy-insulating models, although initially expensive, can result in savings over time, especially in areas that are very cold very warm or both.
Other types of upgrading cost next to nothing at all -- turning off appliances, unplugging rarely-used appliances and using 'sleep mode' for computers. Programmable thermostats and changing air filters on heating and cooling devices can also make these devices more efficient, even if it is not possible to replace the unit entirely. Using 'sleep mode' for office appliances that automatically turn off when the unit is not in use is helpful as well, given the ubiquity of computers in homes and offices today. Reducing the thermostat a few degrees, especially when people are not in the home or sleeping is also a source of savings.
Re-landscaping to include trees that shade the home to reduce energy costs can be value-saving as well as improve the environment. Planting trees to shade...
Department of Energy). Trees can also act as insulation from the wind during cold weather. Trees improve the overall quality of the air for everyone, but they can also improve the energy cost savings of a home and reduce the resident's carbon footprint.
Works Cited
CFLs. (2009). ). Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Retrieved April 15, 2009 at http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=cfls.pr_cfls
Heating and Cooling. (2009). U.S. Department of Energy. Retrieved April 15, 2009 at http://www.energy.gov/heatingcooling.htm
Landscaping. (2009). U.S. Department of Energy Retrieved April 15, 2009 at http://www.energy.gov/landscaping.htm
Residential clothes washers. ). Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Retrieved April 15,
2009 at http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=clotheswash.pr_clothes_washers
Room air conditioners. (2009). Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Retrieved April 15,
2009 at http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=roomac.pr_room_ac
