Are you looking to save the environment, but you cannot afford costly options like solar panels? Are you looking for a way to cut down on your energy costs, but are not all together sure about installing wind turbines in your back yard? Don't worry! There are plenty of things that you can do to go green that are easy and affordable, allowing you to make big changes while staying within your budget.

Here are some basic green living tips that will allow you to stay within your budget while conducting eco friendly home and yard makeovers for greener living.

Audit -

Start by performing a home energy audit, checking to see first if your local utilities do this kind of service or finding another service that may. The auditor needs to make a complete inventory of all of the appliances in your home that use electricity or water. Performing an energy audit is an excellent way to find out how efficient or how inefficient your appliances are, and if there are any ways that you can make your heating or cooling systems more efficient.

Change your Lighting -

You should aim to replace any incandescent light bulbs in your home with more efficient CFL or Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs, as these will last longer and will utilize less power in the process.

Water -

Some modern shower systems spew out an incredibly wasteful amount of water, at approximately 80 gallons of water per minute. By using a water-saving shower head, you can reduce this to 1.75 gallons per minute instead, saving thousands of gallons a year!

Toilet -

Composting toilets are capable of turning human waste into natural fertilizer, and they are an excellent way to conserve water use. However, this is a pretty large step for many people. There is no shortage of other ideas to consider when it comes to going green in the bathroom. Consider using chlorine free, recycled toilet paper, organic cotton bath towels and other linens, and even a shower curtain that is free of PVC.

Carpeting -

Your home carpet is a magnet for many things, like toxins, animal dander, fungi, dust, dirt and bugs. Not only is your carpet a reservoir of dirt and other nastiness, but it was probably also made from a petrochemical synthetic material like nylon for example. Instead, choose area rugs that are made from natural fibers, and choose rugs that are stitched rather than glued.

Natural Landscaping -

Rather than drowning your lawn in dangerous chemicals and pesticides, you can make your own weed and bug repellent using water and hot peppers. Take out the grass, which soaks up water like a sponge, and replace your lawn with rocks, wild flowers, gravel and other native plants; these are all elements that do not require fertilizer or lawn, which saves you on chemicals and on water.

There are plenty of other things that you can do to significantly reduce your carbon footprint, saving on money in your utility bills at the same time.

Bonus Tip: Another handy post-makeover tip is to hire a junk removal service. Companies like this will haul away all your leftover debris and rubble from any project, from basement finishing to new flooring in the kitchen.

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Originally posted 2009-01-23 05:05:51. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Going Green Tips, Green Construction, Home

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bath towels, carpeting, cfl, compact fluorescent light bulbs, composting toilets, cooling systems, costly options, energy costs, fluorescent light bulbs, gallons per minute, home carpet, home energy audit, incandescent light bulbs, makeovers, natural fertilizer, organic cotton, shower curtain, solar panels, toilet paper, wind turbines