Social Moms
|

Spring Equals Energy Reduction

When you shop through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. This educational content is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice.

April 25, 2012

Spring is the perfect season to cut down on your energy consumption and go a little more green. The sun can be your best friend and help cut your energy bill significantly. You don’t have to employ solar panels or expensive equipment to use the sun’s energy. Here are some of my favorite energy-saving and money saving tips that use the sun.

Ditch The Thermostat

If the weather is nice outside the temperature inside will easily follow suit. Opening your doors and windows to let in fresh air can significantly cut down on your energy bill. Depending on where you live, you may even be able to use Mother Nature’s thermostat Spring through Fall. In areas like my own, I am forced to turn on the AC in the heat of the summer, but Spring and Fall require no additional heating or cooling what-so-ever.

Ditch Your Dryer

Let the sun dry your clothes. Purchase a drying rack or clothesline and take your wet clothes outside. Hanging your clothes out to dry will whiten your whites and the UV rays can help remove even the most stubborn of stains. Why settle for the “mountain fresh” scent of your dryer sheet when you can have the real deal. Nothing smells better than a freshly line dried towel.

Tips:

  • If you have an issue with your clothes being stiff after they have been line dried, shake the item vigorously or place it in the dryer for one to two minutes to fluff it right back up. You will still save tons of energy.
  • If you have an issue with insects there are a couple of tricks to keep them at bay. First, do not use scented laundry detergent or fabric softer. You don’t need scent. Your clothes will smell fresh from just being outdoors. The scent can attract insects. Also use plastic clothes hangers to hand your clothes from your line. If you have items that must be pinned use plastic clothespins. The wood clothes pins can attract certain insects that chew on the wood.

Solar Ovens

Feeling crafty? Make your own solar oven. Solar ovens use the sun’s energy to cook. Going Green Challenge has a very simple oven that is easy to make even for small children.  With a pizza box, tin foil, construction paper, and basic craft supplies you can have your very own solar oven in no time. Cook up some hot sandwiches, bagel pizzas, or even cookies. These solar ovens are tons of fun for the whole family.

The sun’s energy is extremely powerful, so why not use it? Your pocketbook and Mother Nature will thank you. What energy-saving tips do you have for the spring months?

Sharing is caring!

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *