Detoxing Affluenza Audit
When to Turn Off Your Lights and 13 Other
Energy-Saving, Environmentally Friendly Tips
by www.SixWise.com

On the heals of decades of over-consumption and Affluenza and a pervasive bigger-is-better mentality (for cars, homes, boats, you name it), America is now finding itself at the dawn of a new, greener era. And as such many are now looking for ways to cut back and save on energy and other natural resources, not only to lighten the load on the environment but also on their wallets.

Which brings us to one of the most common questions among those trying to be environmentally responsible … is it better to turn off your lights whenever they’re not in use, even if it’s just for five minutes … or does the surge in electricity required to turn them back on negate any energy savings?

The answer, according to Yahoo’s Conscious Consumer blog, is you’re almost always better off turning your lights off, even for a few minutes at a time.

They quote Francis Rubinstein, a staff scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, who says the “surge” that occurs to turn lights on lasts just a fraction of a second and “any "start-up" energy costs are minuscule at best and are more than offset by the money you save from turning your lights off, even if it's only for a short time.”

There is one caveat, however, relating to compact fluorescent light bulbs. Turning these bulbs on and off too often may shorten their lifespan.

Energy Star and other experts recommend turning off CFL only when you’ll be leaving for 15 minutes or more. Better yet, they suggest only installing them in fixtures you generally use for 15 minutes or more at a time. The exception here is for full-size fluorescent bulbs that may be in your office. These should be turned off if you’re leaving for 5 minutes or more, as they are built to withstand more frequent “on’s” and “off’s.”

Detoxing Affluenza Audit: 13 More Ways to Save Money and the Environment

Saving energy is only one way to make your life greener. Here we’ve detailed some simple steps you can take that will make a drastic difference to the health of our environment … yet take very little effort on your part.

1. Unplug appliances directly from the wall when you're not using them. If you have several in one area (such as a computer, printer and fax machine) attach them to a power strip and then simply turn off the power switch.

2. If you're not going to be using your computer for a while, but you don't want to shut it down, turn off the monitor. This will save much more energy than using a screensaver (screensavers alone can cost you up to $100 a year).

3. Reduce the brightness on your TV and computer screens by half. This can reduce their energy usage by 30 percent.

4. Turn off incandescent lights whenever you're not using them, and use natural light as much as possible during the day.

5. Unplug phone, toothbrush, PDA and portable tool chargers from the wall when you're not using them.

6. When purchasing appliances like a refrigerator or dishwasher, look for the EnergyStar label. These appliances can sometimes use half as much energy as other appliances.

7. Switch to PerfectClean cleaning tools. Do you use disposable mops, sponges and wipes to do your cleaning? Not only are these an expensive waste but they require toxic cleaning agents to be effective. By switching to the PerfectClean line of cleaning tools you solve both of these environmental dilemmas because the cloths can be used over and over, and clean down to a microscopic level using only water!

Hospitals and other commercial organizations use PerfectClean ultramicrofiber cloths over 100 times before discarding, with only simple laundering needed in between uses. You'll cut costs on cleaning solutions (remember that they're not necessary to use, and even if you do use them, you need considerably less), disposable mops or wipes, or replacing flimsy mop heads and sponges.

8. Reuse your plastic (and paper) bags or carry a reusable cloth bag for your groceries. You only need to reuse a bag 11 times before you've helped to reduce the environmental impact of plastic and paper bags!

9. Ditch your typical laundry detergent. Most commercial laundry detergents, the common brands you find at grocery stores, are loaded with potentially toxic chemicals that could harm you, your family and the environment. Fabric softeners are particularly dangerous.

Instead, choose a natural detergent. You can find these at health food stores, and if you're looking for a reputable brand we highly recommend the Enviro-Rite line of laundry detergents.

10. Forget small laundry loads, fill up the washer. Filling the washer to capacity saves energy (and time)!

11. Never use dryer sheets. Many of them contain chemicals that have been linked to cancer and brain damage. The Static Eliminator Reusable Dryer Sheet System is an excellent and safe alternative to chemical-laden dryer sheets. The Static Eliminator's woven sheets take static cling out and soften fabric without any toxic chemicals whatsoever -- plus they are incredibly economical and environmentally friendly, as one box can be used to maximum effectiveness 500 times!

12. Take advantage of the simple pleasure of sun-dried laundry. If it's warm and sunny where you live, hang your clothes outside to dry. It's free and requires zero energy -- plus it’s hard to beat the fresh smell of sun-dried clothes.

13. Turn down your water heater. Lowering it from 140 degrees to 120 degrees can save 10 percent a month on your water-heating bill.

Recommended Reading

Alternative Fuels: Exactly What are the Best Prospects for Escaping Energy Dependency

Vampire Energy: What is It, How Much is Lost Annually & What Can You Do to Stop It

Sources

Yahoo Green April 2, 2009