At this time it looks like the Lindsay milk ad issue is much more important than the energy crisis in this country. The good news is that the economy is slowly turning around, and soon the demand for energy will increase and oil prices will once again rise as more and more people will be driving out of town going to vacation spots and using electricity at home will also increase as the economy improves.

Home energy in America consumes about 80 percent of the total energy consumption in the whole United States. And sad to say that 20 percent of the home energy in America is wasted either intentionally or unknowingly (instances like drafts etc). Americans are blessed to have many energy saving products which they can use at home to be able to save energy consumption. They are energy saving exteriors, energy saving bulbs, solar energy and wind energy. Home energy in America is draining our expense budget and a big amount goes to the heating and cooling expense. Air conditioners are very important for Americans because some places in the country have very extreme weather. To keep the temperature at a comfort level they use the air conditioner. However, there are ways to help household owners save energy at a low-cost or no-cost at all. One only needs to be innovative, imaginative, and hardworking if you want to save a few hundred dollars on your energy bill. Energy saving does not only mean saving money it also means saving the environment from global warming.

Energy consumption is part of our daily lives. We survive because of this expensive fuel but sometimes people forget about their responsibilities on how to take care of the environment. Home energy in America is a source of energy waste. Household owners may not be aware of the impact to the environment and what may seem harmless can actually hurt the environment and can greatly affect us. If we use less energy then the better we’ll be off because it would mean that there is less fossil fuel used.

Some people are too busy making money that they simply neglect their responsibilities as a citizen of this planet. As a resident of the Earth it is our duty to protect and help the environment. Do you know what is the saddest thing about this energy waste? It causes global warming and those immensely affected are the people from the developing countries. They are the ones who are suffering the heat from the scourging sun. Killing their animals, plants, agricultural products because of the unbearable heat and the painful fact is that hundreds of children die from sickness and malnutrition because they have nothing left to eat.

Home energy in America and in the whole world should be used responsibly, wisely and efficiently to avoid energy waste. The less energy you use; the better for your finances and for the environment and for the future generations to come. Remember that the little things you do can make a big difference in our environment.

Do you want to compare your energy use with other homes across the nation? Make use of the home energy yardstick! You can now compare your energy consumption with other household’s just by the click of the mouse. All you have to do is visit the link energystar.gov, they will needing a couple of information from you like: You’ll need your last 12 months of utility bills OR a 12-month summary statement from your utility company, energy sources for your home: natural gas, electricity, fuel oil, propane and/or kerosene and the square footage of your home, it will only take about 5 minutes of your time then puff! The result is right in front of your face. With home yardstick you can determine if your energy consumption is more or less the same with your neighbors’. It will give you an idea if you are over-using or misusing your energy.

Saving money is much easier said than done. But with the help of the home yardstick you can save money by checking out other homes in your area and if your energy consumption is way higher than the rest of the neighborhood then you better have a home energy check up to determine why your energy use is incredibly higher. That way you will be able to save energy and most importantly money. Saving money is one of the most important things that you can benefit from a home energy yardstick. And while saving money isn’t always the easy thing to do especially if it involves our comfort, it isn’t impossible. You can be energy efficient without torturing yourself. You just need to be responsible, patient and innovative.

There is luxury in being energy efficient. The money you save can be used for many other things. Aside from the saving money you can help reduce greenhouse effect if you reduce your energy consumption. Isn’t it nice to be a superhero by being energy efficient? You can save planet earth from destruction by lowering the risk of climate change.

Our earth is very beautiful and perfect but what did humans do? They created missiles, cars, planes, cigars, factories and burned their garbage in open air emitting harmful smoke because they thought these are “good” things. It’s the 21^st century and people are so dependent with many hi tech gadgets and electronic devices providing comfort and making our lives easier but don’t you know that misusing these things can greatly affect the environment? Yinyang, good and bad comes hand in hand. Technology undeniably brought comfort and ease of life but what is the downside of this? Our planet is suffering from our greed, ignorance, laziness and the future generation will reap the harsh effects of what we sow today.

The home yardstick was made to help you track your energy consumption so make use of  it and be aware that misusing energy is a serious matter. Our government has provided enough to educate us about global warming and has many available sources to help you use energy efficiently.

Planning a home energy check up? It is a positive move to help lower your energy cost and to raise awareness within your household the importance of energy saving. It would be best to schedule your home check up on a weekend after lunch or when you are and your other household members are all at home and not busy. The reason why it would be best to conduct the check up when everybody is present is the chance to educate other members the efficient way of using the energy and what are the possible solutions that you can do to reduce your energy bill. You can have a professional do the home energy check up or you can do it yourself.

Is home energy check up for adults only? Is It is our responsibility to teach our young children from an early age how to handle finances and there is nothing better than to discuss to them how much it will affect your family’s budget if you will not properly use the technologies in your home. There are so many ways to be energy efficient at home so that you can also save your money for other important things. Tell them the basics of saving energy like devices which are not in use should be turned off., cellular phone chargers should be unplugged after using, to turn off the air conditioner in the room when going outside etc, many people know about this but only a few pay attention to it.

All these little things can make a huge impact on your lifestyle and on your budget. Human beings waste a lot of energy by intentionally leaving things with power sources on even when they are not in use. Home energy check up can benefit all of us. It is okay to have your teenagers around while doing the home check up that way they are aware of your home’s energy use.

If you are really serious about saving money on energy costs then you might as well try to switch your traditional lights to energy saving bulbs.  If you are planning to doing some home improvement it would be best to use energy saving exteriors. Your heating and cooling expense is consuming 73 percent of your energy budget so try to check if you have home thermal energy loss by placing your hand on your roof or wall and if you feel a cool air on your hand then it means that there is a crack or leak on your wall or roof, immediately fix it to avoid energy waste.

Whether you believe in global warming or not, a home energy check up could benefit you. By doing so, you can cut off your energy cost up to 10 percent and even if you do not believe in global warming, your reduced energy consumption can really help our environment against the harmful greenhouse effects. We are so blessed because we are living in a beautiful planet but we have to be responsible and learn to take care of our environment.

Is it really worth the effort to participate in an energy saving hour?

Definitely. And not just participate but to introduce to the younger generation the reason why we have to switch off our electricity for an hour. Earth Hour will take place on Saturday 27 March at 8.30pm. It is an annual event to help bring awareness to climate change and the need to save energy world-wide. Every year Earth Hour supporter ask very individual, every business and every community throughout the world to switch off all non-essential lights and electronic devices. While it doesn’t save much energy realistically during that one hour, it does show a symbolic movement in support of Earth Hour’s message and an opportunity to reduce your carbon footprint. Usually, parents should teach their kids to respect and care for the environment by being a good example on how they use the energy. If you haven’t taken the time or did not have the opportunity to talk with your children about the condition of the environment, Energy saving hour is the perfect time to do so. For many, energy saving hour can serve as a reminder that your responsibility to the earth is a lifetime commitment. This is an inexpensive and fun energy saving.

- Everyday many species of plants and animals become extinct not giving our children or future grandchildren the chance to see those organisms as their habitat is being destroyed.

- 800 million of trees are being cut down to and being manufactured to make tons of paper—this is in the US alone.

-Did you know that it takes 500 years for a diaper to decompose? About 1 % of the garbage in the landfill is diapers.

Discouraging facts such as these may sound life threatening but these are based on facts. These are the alarming effects of climate change because of the fossil fuel we are using, technology that we have and other factors caused by human irresponsibility. One of the top reasons why there is global warming is that we waste our resources! 30 percent of our income goes to our utility bills and 5 percent of our energy bill is due to energy wastage.

Every day we unconsciously contribute in damaging our environment by our naïve actions like turning on the television even if we are doing something else and will not actually watch TV but the good thing is that the alarming damage that the human beings have caused to the environment is reversible. The animals’ habitats can be brought back to its former condition restored, the thinning forests can be replanted so that deers, birds, bats and other animals can freely roam again and polluted rivers can be cleansed so that it is clean enough for humans to drink. But it will be up to us and to the generations ahead of us to fulfill the essential changes needed to prevent added environmental damage and to take the right steps like participating in the annual energy saving hour.

In a sentence that involves the word “improvements” and “house”, most people start to panic.  While some home improvements do cost money, there are steps you can take that will not break your budget to improve on the way that your home uses energy.  One of the biggest ways that a home misuses energy is through escaping heat.  Many homes suffer from drafts which let cold air in during the winter making it harder for you to heat your house.  Twenty percent of a homes heat can escape through drafts.  An easy solution to saving home energy here is to do some detective work and find out where those drafts are coming from.  Hold you hand up around the edges of your doors and windows to find where the drafts are coming from.  If you feel cold air on your hand, you have a draft.  Once you have found the draft there are several ways to seal it depending on where the draft sis coming from.  Use draft excluders around exterior or interior doors.  You can fill in any cracks or crevices on window frames, floors or floor boards with a filler or sealant.  Open curtains or blinds to let the heat of the sun in and close them after night fall to trap in warm air.

A very simple way to save on you heating bill is to turn down your thermostat.  By turning your thermostat down even by one degree, you can reduce you consumption of energy by over 5 percent.  Plus, with the difference of one degree, you won’t even notice the temperature difference.  You can also save on your heating bill by not heating rooms you are not using.  While 2 zone heating is an investment if you home is not set up for it already, it will make a difference.  If all your bedrooms are upstairs and the floor is controlled by its own thermostat, you can save on your energy consumption if you turn the thermostat down on the other floor that you are not using while you sleep.

The most cost efficient way to save energy is to make sure that your home is properly insulated.  Up to one third of your heating can escapes through the roof of your home.  Check out your roof a few days after it snows.  Is it starting to melt faster then snow on your neighbor’s roofs?  This is an easy way to see if heat is escaping from your roof and melting the snow.  There are many types of insulation products available today that work extremely well and will not break the bank.  You might also want to invest in cavity wall insulation to prevent another third of your heat from escaping.  These simple cost efficient solutions will improve the way that your home uses heat and will save you a ton of money on your heating bill in the long run.

Low energy light bulbs and lamps can save a homeowner about eighty percent on the electricity bills then when they were using a standard light bulb.  They use a fifth to a quarter of the electricity compared to a standard light bulb.  Plus, energy saving light bulbs produces the same amount of light as standard light bulbs.  But that is not where the benefits of using an energy saving light bulb stops.  Energy saving light bulbs last ten times longer then standard light bulbs saving the homeowner money in replacing light bulbs over time.  Energy saving light bulbs emits a cool temperature due to the low wattage of electricity.  With a lower heat output then standard light bulbs, energy saving light bulbs are perfect for enclosed fittings or spaces and they are ideal to used close to a delicate lampshade.  They also offer homeowners a white light rather then a yellowish light that can be seen with a standard light bulb.

While there are many different kinds of energy saving light bulbs, there are many benefits to using energy saving candle bulbs in particular in your home.  Many people have replaced sing real candles with energy saving candle light bulbs.  Like other energy saving light bulbs, they carry the same benefits.  They are cool to the touch replacing the risk that real candles offer.  Often times, using real candles are dangerous to use in certain situations for fear of a pet or a child knocking them over.  Candle light offers a room a formal and romantic feeling.  They create a wonderful environment and atmosphere.  Energy saving candle light bulbs can also emit a flickering just like real candles.  In many instances candle have already been replace with candle light bulbs.  Once candles were used on chandeliers and Christmas trees but they have long been replaced with candle light bulbs.

Using energy saving candle light bulbs also replace the fumes emitted when burning real candles.  Although it is in small amounts, burning candles do produce a form of air pollution.  The price of candle bulbs also out weights the cost of real candles.  Some candle will only burn for a few hours then they are too small for the wick to keep a flame.  Just like other energy saving light bulbs, candle light bulbs can be used for thousands of hours.  Wall sconces are given a new kind of romantic feeling when one makes the choice to use candle light bulbs.

It is easy to make the switch to energy saving candle light bulbs.  With that switch comes one more step to making your home more energy efficient.  By making that switch you are also making the choice to stop the old environmentally harmful ways of the past.  We all need to pitch in and do our part to reduce pollution and get out planet on the road to recovery.

The majority of the home’s heat escapes through drafts.  Filling these drafts will save on the heating bill over time.  Do a walkthrough around the exterior of you home to find out what needs to be improved.  First you should inspect all the areas where two different building materials meet like where the siding meets the chimney and where the foundation meets the exterior brick or siding.  Inspect all exterior corners as well.  You will need to fill any cracks or holes in the mortar, the foundation or the siding.  Make sure to fill them with the appropriate material.  If you are going to do a job, do it right.  Plus, it will last longer if it is done the right way with the right material.  You will also need to inspect where faucets or pipes extend from the exterior.  Make sure there are no holes around them as well.  In your exterior inspection, do not leave out the windows and doors.  Make sure that they are all properly caulked and that windows and doors seal tightly.  Some people have air conditioners mounted directly into the wall rather then in a window during the summer months.  While this may save on time of installing and un-installing the air conditioner every year, it is also a great way to let in drafts during the winter months.  Make sure that the area around the air conditioner is properly sealed.  If you don’t have one already, invest in a cover that can be placed over the unit in the winter.  This will stop the unwanted cold air from getting inside your home.

Also, make sure that your home is properly insulated.  This will save you a ton of money.  Specifically check the attic.  Make sure that there is a vapor barrier under the attic insulation.  Water vapor can pass through the ceiling.  With large amounts of moisture, the effectiveness of your insulation goes down and could cause structural damage.  In order to prevent this, you should have a vapor barrier which could be tarpaper, Kraft paper attached to fiberglass batts, a plastic sheet or vapor barrier paint.  Also make sure that any gaps in around the pipes, ductwork or chimney is properly sealed.

If you have the funds, you might want to consider replacing old doors or windows with new energy efficient ones.  While this is an improvement that will dip into your pocket, it will also save you money on heating.  With the price of home heating, making sure that the exterior of your home is properly sealed is almost a necessity.

Some of the home’s energy is consumed by heating your home.  Keep your thermostat at a constant heat.  Rather then turning up the heat when you are cold, put on a sweater or place another blanket on the bed.  This solution is better then wasting money on heat.  You should also have your furnace checked yearly.  An improperly maintained furnace is not going to heat your home efficiently.  Make sure that all windows and doors are properly sealed to ward off drafts.  An easy way to check for drafts is to hold and incense stick up to the edges of your windows and doors.  If the smoke is blown back, you know you have located a draft.  You can also moisten your hand with water and try to feel the cool air on your hand when you hold it up to your windows and doors.  You should also make sure that around electrical outlets, switch plates, baseboards, fireplace dampers, attic hatches, and wall-mounted air conditioners are free from drafts.  Make sure that there are no gaps around pipes, wires or mail slots that will allow heat to escape as well.  Saving money on your home heating bill is vital in this day in age and by taking simple steps, we can create a home that uses energy efficiently.

Another large source of a home’s energy is expended through electricity.  Energy for lighting makes up about ten percent of your electric bill.  You should make sure that the wattage sizes of your light bulbs are appropriate for the area.  Do not use a 100 watt bulb where only a 60 or 75 watt bulb is needed.  You should also consider changing all of your light bulbs with energy efficient ones.  These types of light bubs not only last longer then regular light bulbs, they use less wattage keeping your electricity bill low while giving off the same amount of light.  They are also cooler to the touch due to the lower wattage.  Therefore you are able to use energy efficient light bulbs in a more confined space.  You can also save on electricity by altering the way you use your appliances or electronics.  Make sure that electronics are placed in the off position rather then stand by when you are not using them for a long period of time.  You can also unplug appliance when not in use to prevent the unwanted use of electricity.  Try opening the windows to allow sunlight to penetrate the room rather then turning on the lights during the day.

There are so many solutions that homeowners can take to reduce the way that their home uses energy.  Sometimes the solutions are as simple as not leaving the refrigerator door open for too long to more complicated solutions like investing in an energy efficient heating system or solar panels.  All homeowners should be aware of the way that they use energy and make adjustments where needed.  If everyone did their part, we can make a real change in the world.

Solar panels convert light into electricity.  Solar cells absorb the sun’s energy which is the most powerful source of light on the planet.  These systems are also sometimes called photovoltaic or PV systems.  The simplest forms of these solar or PV systems are found in items we may use everyday like in some calculators or certain types of wrist watches.  It is the more complicated systems that are not only used to power one’s home but can also be used for pumping water or for powering communications equipment.  Solar cells are connected together into modules or panels.  They are the structures that you see on the roof of homes or businesses.  PV cells are made up of semi-conductors typically made of silicon.  These semiconductors absorb power when they are struck by the light of the sun and convert it into electricity.

The cost of a solar system depends on the size of your home and your electrical needs.  A

Although the costs of solar systems have come down about 80 percent over the past two decades, the system can still cost around $20,000 -$40,000 for a medium-size house.  Luckily, many state and local governments offer incentives in the form of rebates and federal tax credits that will reduce the initial investment dramatically.  Plus, over the long run, it is quite feasible to think that while using a solar energy system you might never again have to pay an electric bill.  In fact many home owners using solar power are taking advantage of something called “net metering”.  Net metering gives the home owner the ability to sell back to the utility any excess electricity produced by their solar panels that is not used by them.  This in turn is really making your home work for you.

Solar power can also be used to power homes that desire to not have to rely on the electric grid for power at all.  It can cost on the average of $20,000 to $80,000 per mile to extend electric power lines from the electric grid.  Obviously a solar energy system would be an incredible savings.  IN fact remote countries are increasingly installing solar energy systems rather then running power lines.

If a homeowner really wants to take advantage of their solar powered system they should start by reducing the amount of electricity their home uses before they even get the system.  Although the initial investment is large, homeowners are finding that the long term benefits far out weight the initial cost over time.  With more and more people turning to this source of energy, global warming will be reduced and the longevity of our planet will be on a better track to lasting a long, long time.

Most people do not realize how much energy they waste by not doing simple things around the house.  Start by checking your hot water temperature.  The thermostat does not need to be any higher then 60 degrees centigrade which is 140 degrees Fahrenheit.  With a higher water temperature you are only causing your water heater to mix cold water back into it to cool it down for use.

Saving electricity is another way to endure that your home is using energy efficiently.  We have all heard our parents’ complaint about making sure that the light is off when you leave a room but, do we all practice this motto in our own homes?  It is an easy way to save electricity.  Also, did you know that placing your home electronics like televisions, stereos and DVD players on “standby” when you are not using them still uses electricity?  If you are not using these devices make sure they are turned off.  These devices can draw on average of five to ten percent of household energy when on standby.  Some appliances will even drain energy when they are plugged in but not in use like the microwave.  If you are not going to use your microwave for a period of time, unplug it from the wall.  Some people leave their microwave plugged in so they can access the time that is displayed on the front of it.  A better solution would be to get a clock that ran on batteries and place it in a convenient spot where you can see it easily.  Plus, leaving your computer on screen saver rather then turning it off uses energy.  It sometimes uses more energy then if you were to actually use it.  Leaving your computer on screen saver will also reduce the life of our monitor.  A better option is to enable the display blanking feature to automatically turn off the monitor when your computer is idle.  You might be surprised to learn that you can save $50 to $100 per year by making this small change.  Another small change you can make with your computer that will save your energy is to reduce the screen brightness.  This will also reduce the battery time for you laptop.  And you can replace your old CRT monitor with a new LCD monitor.  This simple change will reduce your energy consumption by about sixty-six percent!

Another step to making sure that your home is using less energy is to change you habits when it comes to washing your clothes.  If you are out to buy a new washer, buy a front loader.  These washing machines save a huge amount of water and energy compared to the top-loading washers.  You can also hang your clothes on a line to dry rather then in a dryer.  You are saving energy and it is better for your clothes.

These simple steps will ensure that you are on the right road to getting your home energy consumption under control.  You will see a difference in your bills and hopefully a difference in the world around you.