Think solar energy only helps you reduce how much electricity you use? Think again! Here are 7 ways you can use solar to stop climate change that probably never occurred to you, with help from the solar experts at ExpertSure.com.

Big Bonus: Because you’ll use less energy from your utility, you could save $100 or more a year on electricity and gas bills, too.

1)Water Heating

Solar water heaters can provide homes with hot water for showering, laundry and other household needs. Solar systems are also being used more and more to heat swimming pools. If you live in a climate that’s warm many months of the year, you can install an outdoor shower with a solar water heater attached.

Here’s a great overview of solar hot water technology from the U.S. Department of Energy.

2)Underfloor Heating Systems

Radiant floor heating makes a room warm and cozy and a lot more comfortable if you’re walking with bare feet or sitting on the floor. The radiant system can easily be powered by photovoltaic solar panels on your roof.

The same type of system can also be connected to a greenhouse in order to regulate the air temperature inside, which is vital for maintaining the health and vitality of your plants.

3)Space Heating

The average American family spends over $2,000 a year in heating costs. But in addition to the money, the energy to provide that heat usually comes from fossil fuels, like coal, oil and propane.

Heating your home with a solar heating system can reduce your heating bills and shrink your carbon footprint significantly.

Here’s a good explanation of how solar works to provide heat.

4)Natural Solar Lighting

The cheapest, most natural way to illuminate a home is with the sun. You’ll get the most solar gain with windows on the south and east sides of your home, something to keep in mind if you’re building anew.

Even without solar panels on the roof, you can use lights fitted with small photovoltaics to power individual fixtures.

Many gardens now feature LED lights that are solely solar powered; they charge during the day, and emit light all night.

The same goes for security lights that come with PVs on top of their LED bulbs.

Solar lighting can be a great fit for not only off-grid and remote locations, but also for the urban gardener and hobby farmer.

5)Ventilation and Air Circulation

Having the proper amount of ventilation for fresh air intake and hot air exhaust is important in any home. Solar energy can be used to power and automate those systems.

The simplest versions use the heat of the sun to open a vent, which then draws warm out via natural convection.

More extensive ventilation systems use an exhaust fan, which can be powered directly by the sun or through a thermostat, maintaining a constant airflow.

6)Charge Your Electric Vehicle

You can use panels of photovoltaic cells to create electricity to power your car. That’s true whether you have an all electric vehicle like the Chevy Bolt or Tesla, or a plug-in hybrid like the Ford Fusion.

7)Power an Outdoor Fountain

Some garden fountains now come equipped with small solar panels that keep the water moving through the fountain so you don’t need to string an electric cord down to them. Note that the fountains won’t work once the sun sets, but you probably won’t be in your garden then anyway!

How else do you use solar power to reduce your carbon footprint?

Note: Sponsors like ExpertSure.com enable us to bring you the expert green living content you want at no cost to you. Our editorial opinions remain our own. Thanks!

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When it comes to global warming, burning less gas has always made sense. Now that gasoline costs more than $4.00 a gallon, reducing our consumption at the pump makes “cents,” too. These ten tips offer the fastest, easiest ways you can save gas – and money.

1. Drive smart – Avoid quick starts and stops, use cruise control on the highway, and don’t idle.

2. Drive the speed limit – Remember – every 5 mph you drive above 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.10 per gallon for gas.

3. Drive less – Walk, bicycle, use a scooter or moped, combine trips, and telecommute.

4. Drive a more fuel-efficient car – Consider one of the new hybrids; at the very least, choose from among the EPA’s “Fuel Economy Leaders” in the class vehicle you’re considering.

5. Keep your engine tuned up – Improve gas mileage by an average of 4.1 percent by maintaining your vehicle in top condition.

6. Carpool – According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, 32 million gallons of gasoline would be saved each day if every car carried just one more passenger on its daily commute.

7. Use mass transit and “Ride Share” programs (here and here)- Why pay for gasoline at all?

8. Keep tires properly inflated – Improve gas mileage by around 3.3 percent by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure. Replace worn tires with the same make and model as the originals.

9. Buy the cheapest gas you can find – Buy gas in the morning, from wholesale shopper’s clubs, and using gas-company rebate cards. Track neighborhood prices on the Internet, at GasBuddy.com.

10. Support higher fuel-efficiency standards and the development of alternative fuels – Ultimately, our best hope for beating the gas crisis is to increase fuel efficiency while we transition to renewable and non-petroleum based fuels. Endorse efforts to boost average fuel efficiency to at least 40 mpg. Support programs that promote research and development of alternatives to transportation systems based on oil.

NOTE: For more ways to stop global warming, don’t miss the Green Moms Carnival at OrganicMania.

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