Air dry your laundry. If the weather allows you to, after you wash your laundry, instead of running it through the dryer, dry it on a clothesline outside. Let the sun and wind dry your clothes for you. Using an electric dryer will only use up energy, and if the weather is nice, you can save energy easily. In addition, your clothes will last longer.
When building your home, pay attention to its orientation. An ideal home should be protected against overhead sun during the summer and be oriented so that it gets low-angle sun in the winter. This is a good way to save money on your heating bill and will keep your home cool in the summer.
If you are repairing or replacing your roof, and you have good sun exposure, look into having photovoltaic (PV) cells integrated into the roofing material. Modern PV cells are much less noticeable than older styles. If you don't use all of the electric generated by your home, some utility companies will even let you feed it back into the system for credit against your bills.
If you are planning on switching to green energy, it can seem too discouraging to jump in and do it all at once. While an entire home and land can be overwhelming, try narrowing your efforts to one room at a time. A good first step is a bedroom, where you can use solar power for just a reading lamp and a radio or alarm clock. Then work up from there!
Try using energy efficient light bulbs or even LED lights in your home to cut costs for lighting. Turning off the lights when you are not in the room also helps to save energy. Keep this in mind when you are leaving home, as simply turning off the lights saves a lot of energy!
Contact your current energy provider and see if they offer an option for you to use renewable-energy sources. Many providers harness renewable energy through solar or wind power and therefore, have this option available for their clients. However, you should keep in mind that this may cost a little bit extra.
Try heating your home with a wood pellet stove. The pellets burned in a pellet stove are made of highly compact sawdust. They burn so cleanly than they are not required to get an EPA certification for emissions. Be aware, however, that the cost of the pellets may be high in some areas.
