Changing Your Home for the Better

"There has been consensus among scientists for years that global warming is a serious problem and that it is caused by human activity" ("Global Warming Solutions A Basics.", n.d.).I am here to tell you, global warming is a real and serious threat. With the amount of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere the land and ocean temperatures have increased. Over the last 25 years, 11 of the 12 warmest years on record have occurred in the past 12 years. Something needs to be done to change this trend. This is where each and every one of us comes in. You might not think things in your everyday life have an effect on global warming but you are wrong. Here in the Midwest, we are at the center of our global warming problems and can be at the center of our solutions ("Global Warming Solutions A Basics.", n.d.). Just making relatively small changes in your homes can make a huge impact on global warming if everyone makes similar changes.

A new heating and cooling system is one of the biggest upfront costs for a green change, but it has the biggest return as well; in the form of money saved and lessening pollution. "As much as half of the energy used in your home goes to heating and cooling. So making smart decisions about your home's heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system can have a big effect on your utility bills" ("Heat & Cool Efficiently," n.d.). Which is why you should start with this change. Although simply replacing your system all together could be the most cost effective and energy efficient choice. An alternative choice is using a programmable thermostat. Using a programmable thermostat can improve efficiency of an older system and save you money on utility bills and cut down of the amount of energy used to power your home. This type of thermostat works with your existing heating and cooling system. It uses pre-programmed setting to know when to run or when to shut off and save energy. "A programmable thermostat is ideal for people who are away from home during set periods of time throughout the week. Through proper use of pre-programmed settings, a programmable thermostat can save you about $180 every year in energy costs" ("Heat & Cool Efficiently," n.d.).

The easiest and simplest way to cut down energy use in your home is with lighting. This is something you can get up right now and do. Are there any rooms in your house that no one is in but a light is on? If so, go turn it off. "Nationwide, artificial lighting consumes about 10% of a household's electricity use. Use of new lighting technologies can reduce lighting energy use in homes by 50%-75%. Upgrading 15 of the inefficient incandescent light bulbs in your home could save you about $50 per year" ("Lighting," 2012). You can also simply use natural lighting from the sun thought windows and skylights; this is commonly referred to as daylighting. With daylighting