Summer Tips to Save Money and Reduce your Carbon Footprint

As summer approaches, it becomes far too easy to rely on air conditioners to keep you cool from the warmest days or in some areas the overbearing heat. While air conditioners may be convenient, energy costs are on the rise again and using one endlessly this summer will quickly increase your utility bill.

Conserving energy in the high heat of summer will not only help you to save money on your utility bill but it will also reduce your carbon footprint. Here are some simple things you can do to use less energy during the summer months:

• Use fans to circulate cooled air and open your windows for cross ventilation. Fans use less energy than air conditioners and unlike the latter, they also circulate air rather than keeping it trapped in a single room.

• Run washing machines, dryers and dishwashers early in the morning rather than later in the evening during peak energy usage hours.

•  Take advantage of the sunshine and use a clothesline to dry your clothes.

• Close shades and blinds to minimize solar heat gain.

• If the nights are cool, open the windows for the night and close them early in the morning, trapping the cool night air in the house.

• Turn off the lights when you leave the room. Not only will this save energy but it also helps keep the room cooler.

• Replace your incandescent bulbs with CFLS instead. These use much less energy and generate far less heat than the former. One of the simplest ways to reduce the heat in your home.