Have You Been Able To Reduce Your Utility Bills By Going Green? How Much Increase Or Decrease?

7 comments

1. 

   Life in the slow lane on October 24, 2009 at 8:52 pm

   What do you mean by going green? Since my roommate left my power bill has been cut by 80%. I only turn the hot water heater on every other day for half an hour- the water keeps warm enough for that long- as a replacement for of emptying it by taking a couple showers every day as she did. I don’t use the heat lamps in bathroom to preheat before taking a shower, nor use a hair dryer for long periods. As a replacement for of responsibility laundry every day and using the dryer, I do it every two weeks or so and hang it on the line. Not every light in the house is on at all times and t.v. has been removed. As a replacement for of keeping the heat at 75′ (with a window or two open for fresh air), I turned it off absolutely and wear a light jacket. Next summer I won’t use the AC, but just open the windows at night and pull the shades all through the day. If you consider any of this as going green, it cost me nothing and has saved me a pile of money.

2. 

   thor on October 24, 2009 at 9:32 pm

   My energy consumption is less, but my bills aren’t lower because my local energy company keeps increasing my rates.

3. 

   Muppet on October 24, 2009 at 10:22 pm

   Done right, it should save you. When I lived in Florida, I place a solar hot water heater on my roof. It cut my electric bill by 30 percent… basically paying for itself in the first two months. So in that case, huge saving.
   I learned that citric cleaners were healthier for the environment than chemical detergents. I bought persons in quantity, which finished up costing very small, and then watering it down more, since it was a stronger cleanser. Figuring I spent about fifty to sixty a year on my ancient kinds of cleansers, and three years supply of cirtic was thirty dollars… well, yeah. a decent savings.
   Other experiments were less successful. I tried to generate electricity with solar, but the panels were costly. The couple I managed to buy were fragile and never made me back the money I invested.
   I do know someone who invested a million on a tracking array of electric solar panels… but it was so effective he was putting power back into the local grid, so they shut him down. Million dollar loss there… but I presume if he’d run them for a few years, and the electric company had been forced to pay HIM for the power he was putting in their grid, it would have been profitable.
   To me, the satisfaction of going green may not be recognizable in immediate savings, but done thoughtfully, it should be a cheaper way to live.

4. 

   single occupant on October 24, 2009 at 10:28 pm

   my city of huntington beach california threatens to arrest anyone trying to take these measues

5. 

   man_mara on October 24, 2009 at 10:48 pm

   Don’t know if it is really going Green or the fact I simply despise my greedy power company.
   Six years ago I replaced all the bulbs with CFL’s…it helped, went to wood heat…it helped, re-insulated…it helped, lexan windows…it helped a LOT, manual on off switch for hot water heater…it REALLY helped, zoned house…helped a lot, replaced fridge…REALLY helped and the power bills kept falling but this year alone, the power company has RAISED our power bill 4 times, I am still kicking their butts (last bill was $32.94 for two months).
   So to answer your question, yes mechanical changes help, but the most vital change is your habits and how keen you are to commit to change, learning to use your index finger to turn things off and on is the most vital energy saving tool.

6. 

   groingo on October 24, 2009 at 10:59 pm

   We cut our heating bill by installing an efficient wood stove. Most of our wood comes from landscapers who would have to travel greater distances to dump it than they would to give it to me. They also save the dumping fees. The wood ash gets used to sweeten our soil. I figure that in the first two years, we saved enough in heating bills to cover the cost of the stove, installation, and our first two chain saws.
   Installing an ultra-low-flush toilet had about a three-year payoff in decreased water and sewage bills, to say nothing of decreased repair bills from having a newer toilet.
   For me, the tradeoff is beyond doubt worth it financially.

7. 

   oikos on October 24, 2009 at 11:01 pm

   Well I’m not really green but i am off the grid . I build my solar panels from broken cells i get off eBay dirt cheap .Been responsibility that for some time now and no longer need the electric company . I got a refrigerator that runs off propane works just like any other fridge but allot cheaper to operate and i use solar hot water when its warm out and use an instant propane hot water heater works fantastic very hot water super cheap to use allot cheaper then a hot water tank . To heat my home i got a army tent heater that will burn anything but i use wood that i get free all summer long its every where doesn’t have to come rite off the tree and allot of people give it away to get it out of there yard some times they even pay me to haul it off cant beat that . Then i have service stations that change oil and need rid of there used motor oil and call me i burn that . It burns clean doesn’t smoke like you reckon it would not in the heater anyway i estimate because its controlled air floe. .

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