Going Green The Cost Effective Way

There's so much talk about how people should go green to save the environment and to prevent global warming or climate change. Many of those who are pushing "green" solutions are also seriously underestimating the costs of doing so, whether it is in the form of higher energy costs or higher taxes or both (carbon taxes/cap and trade).

Cutting through all this isn't easy, but there are a few cheap (or relatively cheap) things that people can do to save themselves potentially serious amounts of money. That some of these things might be considered "green" is an added bonus.

Most of these things apply to homeowners or landlords, but some might be useful for renters as well.

1) When replacing roofing, choose the lightest color material available. Albedos matter. The nation could potentially save billions every year on cooling costs simply by having roofing that reflects more energy back into the air instead of absorbing it. The country spends $40 billion annually on cooling costs. When structures absorb the heat, it means that air conditioners have to work harder to cool the structures. A simple change to building codes requiring more reflective roofing materials would not affect costs and would save billions in the process.

That it would also reduce emissions from power generating facilities is an added bonus. Reflective roofing would cooling costs by 50% and peak demand by 10-15%.

There are some who believe that white (or reflective) roofing might curb the effects of global warming for a decade or longer. I think such claims are hard to assess, but the energy consumption would decrease, and that's a good thing.

Cleaning and/or replacing filters on air conditioners and heating units will improve efficiency and reduce costs. Placing reflectors in radiators will improve the efficiency of those units. Removing window air conditioners can also reduce energy usage in winters. Sealing and weatherstripping will also reduce energy costs year round.

Slightly more costly is installing or adding insulation to attic spaces. I spent less than $200 to install insulation in my attic, and the results are pretty impressive. The house feels more comfortable and I do believe I've saved on heating costs. We will probably have to add insulation to the walls (the house was built in 1929), but that will only happen if and when we decide to replace the siding. It would be too costly and disruptive to blow insulation into the walls from the inside.

More tips can be found here. Instead of focusing on saving the environment, people should be focusing on their own bottom line. These items will save you money, and that's really what it should be about.