Lower Your Environmental Impact: The Top 5 Things Anyone Can Do
Posted by carrie_roll
If you are wondering what you can really do to make a difference and lessen your impact on the environment, or at least lower the ways in which you are currently harming the environment, this video, with John Schaeffer from RealGoods, will teach you five simple things you can do to lessen the impact that you, and your family, are having in harming the environment.
These things include:
Using compact flourescent lighting vs incandescent bulbs. Despite the concern over mercury when the bulbs break, compact flourescent light bulbs use 1/4 as much energy as most incandescent bulbs.
Transportation: Change your vehicle to a non-fossil fueled vehicle.
Replace your water heater with an instantaneous water heater
Double-check all the insulation in your house. Check the windows and build a better radiant barrier around your house.
Install a solar hot water heating system. This generally pays for itself in two years or less.
Installing photovoltaic solar panels is the ultimate major thing you can do to help the environment when it comes to your day-to-day living.
These are all great ideas, but I always recommend that someone take any means possible to first make their home more energy efficient before using solar or wind energy. The reason is, that for every dollar spent towards energy efficiency will save about 4 dollars on alternative energy. It just makes better financial and environmental sense.
You mentioned radiant barriers and in my opinion, insulation and radiant barriers are one of the best things you can invest in to get the highest return. Unless you already have an r39 insulation, you should definitely think about investing in a radiant barrier. Alo if you are looking for an affordable tankless water heater, check this Titan tankless water heater.