Sure, you like saving energy. But you like cozy lights, too, right?! Here are 7 energy-saving holiday lights so warm and twinkly even the Grinch would like them. And so will you!

Energy-Saving Holiday Lights

LED String Lights – Here’s a link to a wide variety of options for energy-saving holiday lights. They’re twinkly, waterproof, warm, and will save money on energy.  These LED solar string lights, called a “Chuzzle Ball,” are waterproof, require no batteries, and look like fairies! I particularly like this twinkle star string. It’s lightweight, easy to store, and easy to array anywhere.

Red Christmas Lights – These Red Christmas Lights come in 33 ft long strands of 100 mini lights. They offer up to 88% energy savings, compared to the standard string lights. They’re super bright, so perfect for decorating outside. They’ll stay lit when a bulb is loose or missing, and are easy to replace with spare extra bulbs and a fuse if a bulb burns out or breaks. They can be connected end-to-end, up to 22 sets, or 2200 lights. UL certified and water proof.

Multi Color LED Indoor/Outdoor Lights – Use these energy-saving holiday lights to decorate trees, outline your home, or otherwise add cheer to your holiday. UL certified and 33 feet long per strand.

Hanukkah LED Lights – Amazon has blue LEDs that aren’t specifically marketed as Hanukkah lights, but they could still work for you. NoveltyLights.com sells plug-in (electric) blue lights that could be a better alternative. If the color is right, give these a try instead of the battery lights. HolidayLights.com has options in bulk.

White Lights – I personally still find these a little white/white in color. But they definitely save energy! Get big ones like these to make a statement, or choose the smaller size. The warm white option might be best.

Star Curtain String Lights – These LEDs include 6 large and 6 smaller LED star ornaments. You can hook them wherever you want: in front of a curtain panel, dangling off a mantle, on the patio, or around the porch. Aren’t they cheerful?

ALOVECO LED String Lights – These waterproof balls of light are perfect for a Christmas tree, New Year’s Party, or any other special event where you could use energy-saving holiday lights (which is pretty much everywhere). They have 8 working modes, such as slow fade, and steady on. They’re also waterproof so you can use them outside.

Enjoy the holidays, and be cozy!

NOTE: Big Green Purse earned a small sponsorship fee for this post and may also make a tiny affiliate commission on sales on Amazon. The fees are too teeny to affect our recommendations or opinions, but they do help us continue to serve you. Thanks.

The post 7 Energy-Saving Holiday Lights Cozy Enough for the Grinch (and You, too!) appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Are you wondering how you can live the green life you want if you’re renting an apartment rather than living in a space you own? We’ve teamed up with apartment search website RENTCafe to bring you these great ideas for enjoying an eco-friendly lifestyle in an apartment, condo, or home you rent.

How to Green Your Rental Apartment

 If you live in an apartment, you’ve likely made several changes to the décor to help suit your style.

But if you aren’t also making green improvements to your home, then it may not be as healthy or as energy efficient as it could be.

And while you may think that creating a more eco-friendly home isn’t possible as a renter, there are several ways you can green your rental apartment to save money and make it more comfortable to live in at the same time.

BONUS! You can get these done in one day and reap the benefits for a long time!

Invest in Drapes

The biggest source of energy loss in most homes is right around the window area. Even with double paned windows, if the area surrounding them isn’t well sealed, you could still be losing a lot of the energy you use to heat and cool your apartment.

By investing in good quality, thermal drapes, you can help stop this energy loss, eliminating drafts and making your apartment more comfortable at the same time.

As a bonus, most thermal drapes are also light blocking, so you can control how much sunlight your apartment gets – perfect for weekends when you want to sleep in.

By the way, if you install floor-to-ceiling drapes, you can easily take them with you when you move. They’ll fit other windows.

Swap Out Your Lightbulbs

Even if the light fixtures in the apartment need to stay as they are you can still lower your energy bill an get better ambient light at the same time by investing in new LED lightbulbs.

LEDs use far less energy than incandescents and last for at least a dozen years!

Plus, they can give off more lumens per watt (which means they produce more light for less energy), so you can get a brighter living area while saving energy at the same time.

Here’s how to choose the right LED for your apartment.

Replace Your Water-Wasting Showerhead for a WaterSense Model

It may be best to leave the main faucets and toilet in your apartment alone and encourage your landlord to make them more water efficient. But it’s easy to replace your shower head with a low-flow WaterSense model. Just look for the WaterSense logo, pictured right, when you shop.

Older shower heads use as many as 7 gallons of water a minute. New water saving units that meet EPA’s WaterSense standards use around 2 gallons. WaterSense technology helps make up the difference by spinning the water droplets as they leave the head, making the shower feel fuller.

You’ll reduce your water bill, paying for the modest cost of the shower head in no time.

Plug Into Power Strips

Many appliances end up sucking up energy even when they aren’t on or in use.

Sometimes known as “energy vampires,” these appliances and devices add a lot to your monthly energy bill.

To help save energy and money, put a power strip at each outlet, then plug your standby devices like lamps, televisions, gaming sets, and computers into these.

When you’re not using any of the items, turn off the power strip to stop the energy drain.

FYI, here’s one of the power strips I have my video monitor and Roku plugged into.

Purify the Air

If your apartment was painted in the last five years, chances are that it’s still giving off VOCs or volatile organic compounds, into the air. The effect is worse the closer you get to the time the paint was applied. In fact, about 50% of the VOCs are given off in the first year after the room was painted, with the rest “off-gassing” over the next four.

Plus, you might use air fresheners or cleaning products that are filled with synthetic fragrances, chemical compounds that can cause head aches, flu-like symptoms, and even trigger asthma attacks.

To help clean the air you breathe and eliminate some of those harmful toxicants, first switch to no VOC paint when you repaint.

In place of air fresheners, remove the sources that stink (like rotting food, dirty clothes, pet waste), circulate fresh air, and make potpourri out of fragrant natural herbs and dried flowers.

Use baking soda, vinegar, and fresh squeezed lemon juice for most cleaning projects. Open boxes or bowls of baking soda can also help absorb unwanted odors.

Monitor what’s in your air using a system like HomeLab’s, which will tell you what chemicals you’re breathing, and how you can turn your space into a healthy home.

Add Some Plants

Air purification systems aren’t the only way to clean up the air in your apartment and make it healthier; adding plants can make a big difference as well.

Greenery like English Ivy, rubber plants, and peace lilies clean the air in your home and enhance your décor, too.

Place plants in areas that may need air cleansing the most, such as kitchens, bathrooms, and bedrooms and breathe a little easier.

In my living room, I have a big peace lily. It gets beautiful white flowers once or twice a year.

Check and Replace Your HVAC Filter

If you have a furnace, central air conditioning unit, or HVAC system that uses ducts to heat or cool your apartment, make sure that you’re checking and cleaning the filter at least once per season (some companies recommend changing or cleaning filters monthly).

When the filter gets clogged, it causes the unit to work harder, spiking your energy bill.

If you aren’t sure if the filter needs to be changed, hold it up to the light; if you can’t see through it, it should be cleaned.

NOTE: You don’t need to buy a new filter every month; get one that’s reusable and wash it by spraying it with a hose or running it under a faucet. Just make sure it dries thoroughly before re-installing it. You can keep an extra on hand so you always have one to clean and one to replace it with.

Decorate Using Vintage and Recycled Furnishings

From rugs and bed frames to sofas, dining room tables and lamps, you can find great bargains and repurpose gently used (and sometimes brand new) furniture rather than buy brand new.

In addition to CraigsList.com, eBay.com and Freecycle.com, browse the listings at NextDoor.com, a site that makes it easy for neighbors to swap from each other or buy at a reasonable price.

Thrift stores, auction houses, estate sales and vintage shops (think antiques) are more great – and eco-friendly – places to shop.

Here’s one of the rugs I have in my home. When I got it 15 years ago it was already at least 60 years old.

Go Green

It doesn’t take much to green your rental apartment and make it healthier and more eco-friendly. Implement any of these changes and you’ll see the benefits in no time.

What Do You Do?

What else do you do to green your rental apartment? Please share!

Note: Partnerships enable us to bring you expert content at no additional cost to you. Our editorial opinions remain our own. Thanks!

The post 8 Inexpensive Ways to Green Your Rental Apartment (& Save Money Doing It) appeared first on Big Green Purse.

If you have made the choice to upgrade to LED lights in your home, you have taken a step in the right direction for reducing your home’s impact on the environment. However, to get the best performance from your LEDs, you must purchase the right type of lights. We’re partnering with LED lighting experts LEDified to offer 6 steps that guarantee you’ll choose the right LED for your home.

How to Choose the Right LED for Your Home

1. Choose brightness based on lumens, not watts.
2. Pick soft, neutral or cool white light.
3. Select a bulb made for dimmers if needed.
4. Keep in mind “beam angle.”
5. Pay attention to ambience, accents and tasks.
6. Use a coupon, get a utility rebate.

Choose the brightness of your LED bulbs based on lumens, not on watts.

When purchasing LEDs, many people make the mistake of judging the bulb’s brightness on the amount of watts on the label. The brightness of incandescent bulbs is linked to watts. However, watts are a measure of how much energy a bulb draws. Because LED lights draw less energy and don’t correlate to brightness, the metric that is used for the brightness in LED lights is lumens.

Compare how many watts it takes an incandescent bulb to the amount an LED needs to generate the same level of brightness:

Pick Your Bulb Depending on What Kind of Light You Need

There are 3 types of brightness to consider when you are purchasing an LED light bulb: soft, neutral, or cool.

Soft white LED light bulbs.

These are the standard color of LED light bulbs. The color emitted from this bulb is yellowish and provides a warmer color. They’re nice in living rooms, bathrooms, family rooms and bedrooms.

Neutral White LED light bulbs.

These light bulbs are ideal to use in task-oriented environments, like a kitchen or workshop.

Cool White (also known as daylight)

These lights lumens are good for a porch, garage or even a closet.

Select the right bulb for your dimmers.

Dimmers have traditionally been used with incandescent light bulbs to change their brightness by adjusting the voltage going into the light bulb. The same doesn’t apply to LED lights because when the applied or average voltage drops below the minimum voltage that’s required to power the LED, the LED light won’t turn on. Furthermore, the LEDs might flicker, hum, or buzz. Conventional LEDs will only work at a 100% brightness level.

If you want to have the option to dim your LED lights, you must purchase LED lights that have the circuitry to perform the dimmable function. Some tips for purchasing LEDs include:

• Check the label to see if the LED light is dimmable.
• Although some LED lights will work with incandescent dimmers, it is recommended that you upgrade to LED-specific dimmers.

If you cannot see any information about dimming on the label, do not purchase the LED light for a dimmer fixture.

Get your desired beam angle.

One of the great things about investing in LED lighting is that they can provide different beam angles. You can check the labelling for the LED’s beam angle lens. If you want your lights to shine with like a spotlight, you will probably opt for a 20-degree lens. However, if you would prefer a wide-angle lens, then a 60-degree lens would be better. Keep in mind that the intensity of the light may be lower, the wider the beam angle is. These types of bulbs are ideal for lighting up entire rooms.

Select the right lights for ambience, accents and tasks.

There are three main ways to think about lighting in your home: ambient, task, and accent lighting.

Ambient

Ambient lighting provides the overall illumination for a room by lighting up the entire space.

Task

This type of lighting illuminates an area for a specific function. For example, a table lamp shines light on what you’re reading; a bathroom sconce might be helpful for applying make-up. Before you choose any light, be clear on what task it needs to illuminate.

Accent

Accent lighting draws attention to a particular object such as artwork, sculptures, bookcases and plants.

Get an LED!

LED lights are a great investment because they can last a decade or longer and save the cost of buying the bulb many times over in reduced utility bills.

Use the advice provided by LED lighting experts LEDified to select the right LED light bulbs for your home.

NOTE: Sponsors like LEDified allow us to provide expert content at no cost to you. Our editorial opinions remain our own.

The post 6 Steps That Guarantee You’ll Choose the Right LED For Your Home appeared first on Big Green Purse.

What difference does it make if you turn off the lights when you leave a room, install a low-flow shower head, or turn down your water heater a mere 20 degrees? Constellation Energy* shows you exactly why it matters with a cool infographic called 31 Energy Saving Hacks.

These are some of the best energy saving hacks I’ve seen!

Why? Two reasons:

√ One, they cover the major ways you use energy at home: doing the laundry and the dishes, lighting up your rooms and powering your electronics, heating and cooling your home, and showering and bathing.

√ Two, all of them will save you money.

Of the 31 Best Energy Saving Hacks, here are the 5 I like the best (because they’re easy and cost-effective):

1) Skip the rinse on your dishwasher. Using the rinse features costs you 3-7 gallons more of hot water each time you wash your dishes. Wash per usual, then open the door to the dishwasher and pull the wet racks out and let the dishes air dry.

2) Take shorter showers. Cutting just 4 minutes off your shower time can save you over 3,000 gallons of water each year! In a 4-person family, that’s 12,000 gallons.

3) Unplug. You don’t need to keep battery chargers plugged in when the batteries are fully charged. And by the way, unplug other electronics when you’re not using them so they don’t keep drawing power out of the socket (which they do, even when they’re turned off).

4) Clean or replace furnace filters. You find it easier to breathe when your air and nose aren’t obstructed, right? So does your furnace. Give it a clean filter every three months, and breathe easier.

5) Time your water heater. This one never occurred to me before.  You can put a timer on your water heater to turn the heating function down or even off when you’re not home or on vacation. Who knew?

You can see the entire list of Constellation’s energy saving hacks right here.

What’s your favorite energy saving hack? Don’t keep it a secret!

*Note: Sponsored posts allow us to bring you expert content at no cost to you. As ever, our editorial opinions remain our own. Thanks!

The post The 31 Best Energy Saving Hacks to Save You Money, Too appeared first on Big Green Purse.

First and foremost, it will make it a healthier, more satisfying place to live. I don’t know anyone who says “My home is “green” – and I hate it!” Just the opposite is true. Homes that are painted with No VOC paint and cleaned with non-toxic chemicals have fresher, unpolluted indoor air – and that’s the air we breathe 90% of the time.

Second, living in a home that uses less energy and saves water will save you money – a lot of money – over the years.

Third, once you decide to sell, the return on investment at resale for green, sustainable spaces may be higher than in “conventional” homes that don’t offer organic landscapes, energy-efficient appliances, water-saving faucets, and a well-insulated attic.

But if your house is not particularly eco right now, what updates make sense, especially if you’re considering putting your house on the market sooner rather than later?

My rule of thumb is:

aim for improvements that make sense to your quality of life, are affordable, and are appropriate
for the area where you live.

For example, home sellers looking to target house hunters in D.C. – one of the most progressive cities in terms of sustainable trends – might consider smart windows that regulate climate due to the East Coast’s famously cold winters and hot, humid summers. 

We’ve partnered with Zillow.com to bring you this list of green updates that will increase home values while providing you with results you can enjoy as long as you’re living in your house.

5 Green Updates That Increase Home Value

1) Energy-efficient insulation

Many homes built before 1980 typically don’t have enough insulation. Unless your home is located in a uniquely mild climate, bringing it up to current insulation standards makes it comfortable and can cut heating and cooling costs anywhere from 10 to 50 percent. This image shows the five places most likely to need insulation in your home. To determine the suitable insulation for your climate, check out the U.S. Department of Energy’s ZIP code recommendations.

2) LED bulbs

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) save homeowners and renters an average of $50 when used instead of 15 traditional bulbs, according to the Department of Energy. Moreover, LEDs last 10 times longer than outdated incandescent bulbs.  ENERGY STAR LEDs cost only about $1 to operate per year, compared to traditional incandescent bulbs, which cost $4.80 a piece to run and produce the same amount of light.  Keep in mind, compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and other fluorescent bulbs often contain mercury, so consult the Environmental Protection Agency guidelines for proper care.

Don’t Miss: 7 Ways LEDs are Better than CFLs. 

3) Solar panels

Solar is here to stay, and it’s no wonder why. People all over the world are feeling the effects of climate change, and solar offers one of the cleanest alternatives to the fossil fuels that cause this global problem.

While solar installation can be costly upfront, there are all kinds of creative ways to finance it, like using tax credits, leasing rather than buying solar panels outright, and taking advantage of discounts made through community purchasing programs.  The average cost of home solar panels has declined almost 50% in the last decade, plus homeowners can claim federal and state tax credits to lower the cost even further.  Solar shingles are a less expensive option and blend more seamlessly into existing roofs, but work like solar panels by capturing sunlight and creating usable energy.

Get Solar Panels for 20-30% Off. Here’s How.

4) ENERGY STAR appliances, water heater and HVAC system

Without tearing down walls or hiring a team of workers, you can update your home simply by swapping out old appliances for ENERGY STAR -rated refrigerators, freezers, ovens, dishwashers, washers and dryers. Many utilities will provide a rebate when you update. They’ll also cart away your old appliance, and maybe even pay you to recycle it.

Choosing ENERGY STAR models when replacing your HVAC system or hot water heater makes sense, too.  Pick the most energy-efficient model you can afford at a size that’s not too big to meet your needs.

True Story: My Utility Company Gave Me $200 When
I Bought My New Energy-Saving Refrigerator.

5) Organic Landscaping with Water-wise Native Plants & Trees

Curb appeal can help sell a home and keep you smiling every time you make your way up the driveway. Beyond the clear aesthetic benefits of well-landscaped yards, strategically planting trees and shrubs can actually help with the cooling costs inside the home. Organic practices reduce the need for pesticides and fertilizers and builds healthier, more productive soil. Choosing native plants that do well in the amount of rainfall your region normally gets will reduce your water bill. Installing a drip irrigation system that delivers water to the plants that it can cut your water bill by 50%.

Want to be a little more ambitious? Check out this mini-guide we wrote just for you!

What updates have you done to your home to make it more livable and to increase its resale value? We’d love to hear from you!

The post 5 Green Updates that Increase the Value of Your Home appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Eco-friendly. It’s such a buzz word in the world of business these days. But the truth is, many people talk the talk but don’t really walk the walk – simply because they’re don’t know how to get started.

If this sounds like you, take a minute to read this post. With the help of sponsor CityDocs, I’ve pulled together 10 simple ways your enterprise can become a more eco-friendly company.

1) Switch to a Paper Free Office

Just think for a second about the amount of work that goes into making one single piece of paper. The pollution caused by logging. The fumes from factories. The toll that transportation takes on the atmosphere. So, why not do your bit to help reduce the reliance on paper, by switching to a paper-free office? There are many computer programs and systems that can help, plus the Cloud now provides invaluable backup for vital documents.

Don’t Miss: 5 Ways to Reduce Waste Office Paper

2) Outsource Your Printing

Even if you go paperless, you may still need some office printing done for annual reports, event planning, and other special documents. Why not outsource the process to an external company that has the machines capable of getting the job done with minimum waste? Working with a professional printer could also potentially save energy, depending on the size of the job.  Remember to print on both sides of a sheet of paper; print on recycled paper; avoid wasting extra sheets of paper within the job; and printing only the copies you need.

3) Encourage Cycling, Mass Transit, Carpooling, and Telework

Shrink your company’s carbon footprint by encouraging employees to get to work someway other than by their own individual vehicles. Can employees car pool? Use the bus or subway system? Why not encourage staff members to pick up a bike instead? You could even introduce a company scheme whereby you help staff members purchase their bikes, or set up some company accounts so employees can take advantage of local bike-sharing solutions. Of course, letting employees work from home a couple of days a week will also significantly cut down on the amount of oil and gas they need for transportation.

This Can Help: 5 Ways to Cut Costs by Shrinking Your Carbon Footprint

4) Install Recycling Bins

Every business, even the most eco-conscious, will have piles of rubbish to dispose of every day. Most of this rubbish will simply go into a bin, and then get taken away in one swirled mess, including food, paper, cans and plastic. If you install specific recycling bins for separate trash items, though, you’ll be amazed by how many staff members use them. At the very least separate office paper from other trash. If possible, arrange for food waste to be picked up and composted by a community composting program.

5) Create a Company Green Purchasing Club

Especially during the summer growing season, many farmers offer buying clubs to employers to encourage employees to buy locally grown organic food. The farmers will take orders in advance and then deliver the food in bags and boxes to the office so employees can easily take them home.

6) Change Those Lightbulbs!

The trouble with traditional lightbulbs is that they consume a lot of energy and don’t last very long, so you have to keep replacing them. Replace them with high-performance compact fluorescents or even better LEDs. They’ll save significantly more energy and money, and it will be years before you have to replace them.

Good Tips Here: How to Pick the Best Energy-Efficient Light Bulbs

7) Green Web Hosting

Web hosting is an area you probably don’t associate with environmental damage, however the amount of energy used by hosting companies is astronomical! Green web hosting companies use renewable energy and carbon offsets to minimize energy use, while still being competitively priced.

8) Share Office Space or Run a Virtual Office

Do you need your own physical office space and all the resources required to maintain it? Or can you share space with a like-minded company? Perhaps you don’t need office space at all, but can run a virtual operation.

9) Use Environmentally Friendly Cleansers

What do you use to keep your office clean and tidy? Most commercial cleansers rely on some combination of chemicals that can actually make people quite sick – from headaches and dizziness to nausea and worse. Replace conventional products with those that are fragrance-free and non-toxic. Most surfaces can be cleaned with warm water and simple, biodegradable, fragrance-free liquid soap.

Try Green Spring Cleaning with Plant-Based Cleansers

10) Educate Others

While your business might be environmentally friendly, the homes of many staff members probably aren’t. Try to spread your enthusiasm by educating staff members about the small things they can do. This won’t impact your business directly, but it will certainly help the world as a whole!

Do you have any tips yourself to be a more ethical company? Let us know in the comments.

The post 10 Ways to Become an Eco Friendly Company appeared first on Big Green Purse.

If you want to do more green holiday shopping this year but are put off by high prices or just want to save money generally, take a look at BLINQ.com.

The company sells items that are new, open box, and refurbished at as much as 70% off the original retail price. Shipping is free and returns are easy. Plus, you will get an extra 10% off on your first order when you sign up for email.

BONUS: Because BLINQ sells open box and refurbished goods, it keeps thousands of pounds of products out of landfills. The company also plants a tree for every order placed. Since 2014, BLINQ has worked with Trees for the Future to plant over 150,000 trees.

While not all BLINQ’s products are “green,” you’ll find a hefty selection when you search their site, including ⇒

→ organic baby clothes, baby carriers, & other baby stuff

→ solar and led lights

→ cast iron pots and pans free of Teflon

→ solar-charging back packs

→ organic olive oil

→ organic cotton pillows

MORE GREEN HOLIDAY SHOPPING SUGGESTIONS

Merkur Man’s 4″ Long Handled Safety Razor – Skip the battery-powered and electric shavers and return to a safety razor for an extra close shave. The long handle with a non-slip grip is particularly well designed for people with large hands, but it’s also good for hard-to-reach spots. This is marketed to men, but there’s no reason why women couldn’t use it either! Originally $37.00, but on sale at $24.19.

Organic Cotton Sheet Set – Organic cotton sheets can be expensive, but you’ll save almost $30 buying a set on blinq. They feature a 300 thread count so will feel  quite luxurious. Their deep pockets mean they’ll fit even extra large mattresses. The set includes 1 flat sheet, 1 fitted sheet, and 2 standard pillow cases. BONUS: They can be washed in energy-saving cold water without bleach.

bumGenius One-Size Cloth Diaper – This 100% organic cotton diaper is a one-piece diaper with 6 layers of super absorbent, certified organic cotton and an ultra-trim fit. Its 3×3 snap down design adjusts to fit small medium and large sizes ranging approximately from 8 to 35 pounds. BONUS: It’s made in the U.S.A.

DeWalt 40-Piece Screwdriving Set – This might not seem like a “green” product at first blush. But with this many screwdrivers, you can repair almost anything! That means you’ll be able to fix things that break rather than throw them away. Plus, you’ll be able to handle many repairs yourself, sparing you the need to track down and pay a handyman. The original price on this set was $98.97. It’s on sale here for $37.59. What a bargain!

Portable Hand Crank Solar AM/FM NOAA Weather Radio with Cell Phone Charger & 3-LED Flashlight – This is a great radio to have on hand when you’re traveling or camping or during an emergency when you’ve lost power and you have no idea when it will be restored. It can be powered with solar,rechargeable batteries, and by crank. It reaches both AM and FM channels, as well as all 7 NOAA weather channels. It also features a standard USB port that can be used to charge cell phones and other USB-compatible portable devices.

NOTE: This post was sponsored by BLINQ.com, but all opinions expressed are our own. Sponsorships help us bring you information on green living and shopping at no expense to you. We retain editorial control, and never accept sponsorship from a company whose products or services don’t meet our environmental criteria. Thanks!

The post Use BLINQ to Make Green Holiday Shopping Affordable appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Sunday, November 1, you’ll be turning back your clocks and turning on your lights a lot earlier to deal with the longer, darker nights. It’s the perfect time to replace the energy-wasting bulbs in the lights you use most with the best energy-efficient light bulbs available: compact fluorescents and LEDs.

Here’s a guide to help you figure out what bulb to put where – and how much money you’ll save when you do.

Download Here

NOTE: This guide is reprinted with permission from the Natural Resources Defense Council and Ecova.com. 

You can find LEDs and CFLs in hardware stores and big box stores like Home Depot and Lowe’s. We sell a variety in our Big Green Purse Amazon store, too. If you are willing to pay a little more upfront for LEDs, you won’t regret it because they’ll last so long. Whatever you buy, make sure they’re ENERGY STAR certified. Here are 3 worth taking a look at:

3-Pack from Feit Electric – They’re dimmable, last over 22 years, and use only 9.6 watts to replace a 60 watt bulb.

Hyperikon LED – Buy them singly or in a 4-pack. Also a 60-watt equivalent, with a soft white glow.

SunSun Lighting LED – This is a 40 watt equivalent that uses only 6.5 watts, so it will save more than 80% of the energy a traditional incandescent uses. It promises 25,000 hours of warm light.

The post How To Pick the Best Energy-Efficient Light Bulbs For Your Home or Apt. appeared first on Big Green Purse.

FIRST, WHY SHIFT TO LEDS?

Here’s what Helga has learned about LEDs.

Energy-efficient lighting technology is a great way to reduce pollution, help stop climate change, improve our health and help us save money. That’s especially true of bulbs that use LEDs, also known as light emitting diodes.

Reduce Air Pollution – LED bulbs help reduce air pollution, making the air healthier to breathe for kids and others who suffer from asthma, heart disease and many respiratory ailments.

Most household energy still comes from coal-burning power plants. About 12% of the energy we use at home powers our lighting, like ceiling fixtures, under-counter lights, and table and bedside lamps. An LED uses 70-90% less energy than a standard bulb, limiting the need to burn that much more coal.

Stop Climate Change – Speaking of energy, if every household replaced just one light bulb with one that has earned the ENERGY STAR, we would save enough energy to light two million homes for a whole year. We would also prevent greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to that of 550,000 vehicles. LEDs are a terrific solution to climate change.

Save Money – Any time we save energy, we save money. Though an LED bulb costs a little more up front, it saves a whole lot more during the life of the bulb. According to ENERGY STAR, a single LED bulb can save $80 in electricity costs over the lifetime of the product.

PLUS – LED technology is so efficient, one bulb can last as long as 22 years or 25,000 hours. That’s particularly convenient for hard-to-reach places like ceilings and outdoor fixtures.

Why Prefer ENERGY STAR- Certified LED BULBS? BETTER QUALITY, MORE SAVINGS!

Some LEDs claim to save energy but fall far short when it comes to what they actually deliver. ENERGY STAR means high quality and reliable performance, particularly in the following areas:

• Long Lasting: ENERGY STAR certified LED bulbs are put through rigorous long term testing to simulate real life use and carry a minimum 3 year warranty. That’s why one LED bulb can last more than 20 years!

• Light Distribution: LED bulbs that have earned the ENERGY STAR will match the light distribution of the incandescent bulbs they advertise they are replacing.

• Color Quality: 6 different color metrics are used to make sure that consumers get the best color quality from the first day of purchase to after years of use.

• Dimmability: All ENERGY STAR certified bulbs must indicate on the front of the package whether or not they are dimmable. If they are, a list of compatible dimmers must be provided.

WHAT DOES IT TAKE FOR AN LED BULB TO GET ENERGY STAR CERTIFIED?

All ENERGY STAR certified lighting products are subject to thorough testing and review before they can bear the label, including:

o Verified compliance with more than 20 separate industry standards and procedures

o Third-party testing of products off the retail shelf

o Rapid cycling of bulbs thousands of times to find early failures

o Testing to stress the products in operating environments similar to how you will use the product in your home

With 70% of U.S. light sockets still containing inefficient bulbs, the potential is huge for American consumers to find lighting options that save them energy, money and help protect the environment from climate change. LED bulbs are quickly gaining steam as the most innovative and long lasting alternative to incandescent bulbs.

WHAT DO ENERGY STAR-CERTIFIED LED BULBS COST?

ENERGY STAR certified LED bulbs are experiencing dramatic changes in price. At some stores you can now buy an ENERGY STAR LED bulb for as low as $5 with in-store rebates. But remember, even if the bulb costs $10, it will save you $80 in reduced electricity costs over its lifetime.

HOW CAN YOU TELL IF A BULB IS ENERGY STAR-CERTIFIED?

Look for the label on the package. Here it is on the most recent LED I got.

WANT MORE INFORMATION?

ENERGY STAR is a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) voluntary program that has been helping businesses and individuals save money and protect our air and climate through superior energy efficiency for over 20 years.

To learn more about ENERGY STAR certified LED bulbs, visit www.energystar.gov/led.

NOTE: I am a long-time advocate of energy efficiency and LED technology. I work as a consultant to help educate the public about the importance of buying ENERGY STAR-certified LED bulbs, but my expert opinion remains my own.

The post Look for the ENERGY STAR LABEL When You Buy LED Bulbs appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Insulate to Save Money, Stop Climate Change

Insulation is probably the single most cost-effective action you can take to save energy at home. We lose substantial energy through leaky lofts and attics, crawl spaces and basements, thin insulation in wall cavities, and in cracks and gaps around doors and windows. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says that you can save as much as 50 percent on your energy bills by insulating. In the UK, it may amount to over a hundred pounds each year. Though insulating may require an upfront investment, many government incentive schemes mean that it is often possible to insulate your home at discounted rates or for free. In the U.S., check with your local electricity and gas providers to get a sense of the subsidies they offer to encourage homeowners to insulate. Have a look at the Npower site to find out more about how this works in the UK and how to apply.

Add Solar Panels

An increasing number of homeowners are interested in adding solar panels to their property as a way to wean themselves completely off the fossil fuels that cause climate change, as well as air pollution. Some companies ask you to purchase the panels upfront, but you can offset the cost by reaping federal and state tax benefits. The length of time it takes for these panels to pay for your initial investment varies due to a number of factors but is generally seen as being around 12 years or so. In other words, throughout those years, you’ll be saving money you’d otherwise be spending on a utility bill. The advantage is that, when you pay a normal utility bill, that’s it. You just keep paying over and over, year after year. When it comes to solar collectors, at the end of 12 years (or whatever the period of time is), you own the panels and continue to save money will having constant access to clean, green and free energy. From a financial point of view, one of the most interesting aspects of adding solar panels is that you can probably sell any energy you don’t use back to the grid.

Change to LED Light Bulbs

If you want the most incredibly simple way of spending less and giving the planet a break then just change your light bulbs. One ENERGY STAR- certified LED light bulb may last 25,000 hours, use 75% less energy than a standard bulb, and save over $60 during the life of that bulb – even acknowledging that LEDs are slightly more expensive than incandescents.

Automate Your Energy Savings

Take advantage of technology like programmable thermostats, power strips, and motion sensors to automate your energy savings. You can program your thermostat to turn the heat down when you go to sleep or work, and up when you’re heading home. The Nest Thermostat is particularly helpful. Power strips make it easy to turn off your electronics so they don’t continue to draw power from the grid, which they normally do, even when you’re not using them. Motion sensors will turn lights on when you enter a room and off shortly after you leave it. All these devices will save you energy and money, and they’re readily available online and in most hardware stores.

The post Save Energy, Stop Climate Change, Save Money appeared first on Big Green Purse.