Four great ideas on saving on those summer electric bills

With the hot summer approaching fast, I thought The Ecoistabode would give a few simple ideas on saving electricity when cooling your house.  Here are a few good ideas to help cut those summer electric bills as well as help out the environment a little bit as we cut the use of fossil fuels.

1. Use the ceiling fan instead of A/C when possible. 
Did you know the average home central air conditioning unit costs 36 cents an hour to run.  Your typical ceiling fan uses only 30 watts of energy and costs about a penny for three hours!  So for every three hours you run a ceiling fan instead of the air conditioner you are saving approximately $1.07.  Just run the ceiling fan instead of the A/C for three hours a day and you can cut your electric bill over $30 per month.

2. Check the seals on your air ducts
This can lower your heating and cooling expenses by 20% if done properly, in addition to adding to the overall air quality of your dwelling. You can use metal tape to seal off joints where your cuts meet.

3. Change to a low flow showerhead
A 2.5 gallon-per-minute (gpm) unit can literally save a family of four $260 per year in heating costs alone vs. an older 5.5 gallon unit. That’s quote a return on investment! Not to mention the positive environmental impact. The Delta low flow showerhead can switch between 2.5 gpm and a super economical 1.8 gpm. I own it and love it.

4. Turn up the thermostat
How about 76 degrees instead of 74 degrees?  For each degree you lower your thermostat, you have the potential of decreasing your heating expense by 5%.  Those two degrees on your thermostat could save you almost 10% off your electric bill!

The Trouble with Bottled Water

The waste we create from these bottles is ridiculous and the water is nothing more than tap water in most cases.

Australia's Great Barrier Reef dying

The greatest reef system in the world, Australia's Great Barrier Reef is a glittering gem. But new research shows it is also in steep decline, with half of the reef vanishing in the past 27 years.

Farmers Markets surging in popularity across US

As demand for locally grown fruits and vegetables has increased, so too has the number of urban farmers markets sprouting up across the nation.

Los Angeles taking steps to ban plastic bag use

The city of Los Angeles has voted to ban the use of plastic bags. The city council voted by a whopping 13-1 margin.

Now that is one Green Apple Inc

Apple is doing their part to help the environment. The company plans to power its main American data center entirely with renewable energy by the end of this year.