"Help The Planet, Save Money & Brag About It"

According to the Union of Concerned Scientist, if every American household replaced just one incandescent light bulb with a compact florescent bulb, we would reduce our CO2 emissions by 90 billion pounds. Compact florescent bulbs are 70% more efficient than regular incandescent light bulbs, that translates into an average savings of over $35 per CFL over its 10,000 hour life span.
For each Compact florescent bulb that you change, you are keeping over 100 lbs. of Carbon Dioxide from entering earths atmosphere. If you would like to see a cost comparison chart between compact florescent bulbs and incandescent light bulbs follow this link to our "reduce phantom electrical loads" page.

Adjusting your thermostat two degrees cooler in the winter can save you about 2.5% on your energy cost. You can also save about 2.5% on your yearly energy cost if you set your thermostat two degrees warmer in the summer. That's a total of 5% savings from simply changing the the temperature by two degrees. Alternatively, you can buy a programmable thermostat for really cheap and save even more.

Instead of adjusting your thermostat manually at the beginning and end of the seasons, simply purchase a programmable thermostat so you can have it automatically adjust throughout the seasons and throughout the day. Programmable thermostats reduce your energy consumption by 10% because you can preset them to change the temperature while you are away at work or while you are sleeping. These daily changes in temperature will reduce your emissions and your bills by over 10% annually.

By reducing your water heater's temperature to 120°F, you can reduce your energy consumption by approximately 5%, saving over $25 per year. Water at 120°F is plenty hot enough to take a nice long shower, however two long showers in a row may be a bit too much and could results in an uncomfortable situation for the second shower er. If this sounds like your situation, take a look at a Tankless Water Heater, they provide more comfort to the end user, they are more cost effective, and very efficient.

On-demand tankless water heaters are a very cost effective way to drastically cut your energy consumption and monthly bills while increasing the control and comfort of your hot water. By using a tankless water heating system, you can cut your water heating cost and consumption by up to 60%. Now considering that 30% of your monthly energy cost goes towards heating water, by using a tankless water heater you can potentially cut your monthly energy cost by about 18%. With these types of savings, a tankless water heater can literally pay for itself in under a year.

Solar passive water heaters are a sustainable carbon neutral way of heating your hot water. These types of passive systems use the energy from the sun to keep your water hot and ready for use. During the hot and warm months, these passive systems will generate more than enough hot water for your entire home. However, passive solar water heaters are not very effective in freezing cold weather, so an additional source of heat for those colder months should be in place. A completely passive solar water heating system without an active heating component is completely sustainable and will eliminate your water heating cost which makes up approximately 30% of your monthly energy cost.

For efficiency and comfort no other method of heating water can rival a combination passive-active water heating system. Not only is the passive component completely sustainable, but the active component is super energy efficient. This combination will allow the end user to have nice hot showers at any time of the day during any season of the year. Although this system is not completely sustainable, it can decrease your water heating cost by almost 90% which is about 27% of your monthly energy cost. Get your FREE "Ultimate Water Heating Guide" e-book tutorial here!

If you cannot afford or are not willing to go to an on-demand tankless water heater, then insulating your existing water heater is a great way to decrease your energy consumption and reduce your bills. Water heater insulation blankets can be purchased at our Eco Store and installed rather easily. By insulating your tankless water heater you can save approximately 1,000 lbs. of carbon emissions from entering earths atmosphere and over $100 per year. For a more detailed explanation and installation instructions, please see our "efficient water heating" page.

Old water faucets have very high flow rates and can use up twice as much hot water as a new energy efficient aerated water faucet. The average household uses 8% of their hot water at the water faucets (primarily the kitchen faucet). By replacing your old water faucets with new aerated ones you can reduce your total hot water heating cost by approximately 4% per year. Get your low flow rate faucets from Black Energy!

Old shower heads have very high flow rates and can use up twice as much hot water as a new energy efficient aerated shower heads. The average household uses 44% of their hot water in the shower. By replacing your old shower heads with new aerated ones you can reduce your total hot water heating cost by approximately 22% per year. Get your low flow rate shower heads at our Eco Store!

Showers are responsible for approximately 44% of a home's hot water usage. So, by taking shorter showers, you are reducing the amount of water to be heated, thereby reducing your water heating cost as well as your CO2 emissions. You can save approximately 350 lbs. of co2 from reaching earths atmosphere and about $99 per year.

Energy star rated refrigerators use 40% less electricity than conventional refrigerator models sold before 2001. Energy star refrigerators are currently using 15% less energy than the current federal regulations. This translates into an average energy saving of 585 kilowatt hours per year and a 9,594 pound reduction in CO2 emissions. Check out AJ Madison, for energy star refrigerators!

Energy star dishwashers use at least 41% less energy than the current federal energy consumption regulations. Energy star dishwashers use less hot water than conventional dishwashers which means less energy is used to heat less weather. By replacing an old dishwasher with a new energy star dishwasher, you can save up to $30 per year in utility cost. Check out AJ Madison, for an energy star dishwasher!

The majority of the energy used in each cycle of a dishwasher is used to heat the water. By only running your dishwasher when it is full you are keeping each load at maximum efficiency. This simple rule can save you about $40 per year and save 200 lbs. of CO2 emissions from being released into earths atmosphere.

Energy star cloths washer machines use about 50% less energy than traditional models. These cloths washers use less hot water and electricity than conventional cloths washers which means your utility bills will be less as well. By replacing an old cloths washer with a new energy star cloths washer, you can save up to $110 per year in utility cost and keep over 763 pounds of carbon emissions from reaching earths atmosphere. Check out AJ Madison, for energy star washer machines!

Energy star computers, monitors and printers collectively use 75% less electricity than a typical computer setup. By replacing these items in your home you can not only save the planet but you can save quite a bit of money. Energy star computers and components can reduce up to 2,645 pounds of carbon emissions each year. You can find great deals on energy star rated computers, monitors and other accessories at TigerDirect.com, just go to their site and search for "energy star" and all of the results will be energy star products. If you prefer buying from a major brand, then check out Dell as they have energy star products as well, just search for "energy star."

Energy star televisions use 30% less electricity than a typical TV set. If one half of American homes would switch their old TV's to energy star TV's it would be like shutting down and entire power plant. Using an energy star TV can reduce your toxic emissions by approximately 1,515 pounds per year.

Many electronic devices will continue to draw electricity even though they are turned off. This type of unseen electrical draw is commonly referred to as phantom loads. If you are not using energy star electronics, then unplugging your un-used electrical devices can save up to $256 and reduce your emissions by over 1,000 pounds for a year.

Much of a home's energy loss comes from heat transfer, which is a result of poor insulation and no radiant barrier. A home which is properly insulated with a good R-value insulation and radiant barrier, can save over 2,000 pounds of CO2 emissions per year, from entering earths atmosphere and can save the home owner approximately $360 in yearly energy cost. For more information about Radiant Barriers, check out Raflect.com.

Air exchange is responsible for about 20% of your homes heating and cooling cost. By weatherizing your home you are stopping your home from loosing heat in the winter and loosing AC in the summer. This inexpensive easy to do modification can save about $275 per year in energy cost and over 1,700 pounds of emissions. For a detailed tutorial check out out our "air exchange and energy loss" page.

Installing energy efficient double pane windows in your home is one of the most effective things you can do to save energy and reduce your emissions at home. By changing just one large window in your home to new energy efficient double pane window, you can reduce your CO2 emissions by 1,650 pounds per year and save over $70 per year. Although this modification is one of the more difficult one, it is also one of the most effective and worth while as it will make you eligible for a few different tax credits and benefits. If you need a good deal on windows, fill in this form at WindowBuyers.com, and they will call you back with a really good estimate.

If you cannot afford to buy new windows, then you may want to consider a cheaper and almost as effective method. Applying a specially made energy efficient window film to your windows will eliminate hot spots, extend the life of your furniture and save 12-18% of your annual energy cost. Not only that, but you will be keeping 547 pounds of carbon emission from entering the atmosphere.

Changing your air conditioner filter on a monthly basis ensures proper air flow. When an AC filter gets dirty and full of dust, the AC must work harder to pull air through the filter causing the entire system to use more energy. By simply changing the AC filter monthly you can reduce your carbon emission by approximately 350 pounds each year and you can save over $150 per year.

Instead of throwing away paper products, learn to recycle your paper and you can reduce your personal carbon dioxide emissions by 184 pounds per year. It really isn't that hard, just get a second trash bend to store all of your recyclables and sort them at the end of the week. In many places, you don't even have to sort the recyclables any more.

Instead of throwing away glass products, learn to recycle your glass and you can reduce your personal carbon dioxide emissions by 26 pounds per year. It really isn't that hard, just get a second trash bend to store all of your recyclables and sort them at the end of the week. In many places, you don't even have to sort the recyclables any more.

Instead of throwing away plastic products, learn to recycle your plastic products and you can reduce your personal carbon dioxide emissions by 47 pounds per year. It really isn't that hard, just get a second trash bend to store all of your recyclables and sort them at the end of the week. In many places, you don't even have to sort the recyclables any more.

Instead of throwing away all of your beer cans and soup tins, learn to recycle your aluminum and you can reduce your personal carbon dioxide emissions by 166 pounds per year. It really isn't that hard, just get a second trash bend to store all of your recyclables and sort them at the end of the week. In many places, you don't even have to sort the recyclables any more.

Using a push lawn mower is not only good for the environment, but it is good for your health. Using your muscles to mow your grass will help you reduce your weight and your carbon emissions. Not only that, but you will save money on mower repairs, gasoline and oil and you no longer have to breath in that nasty exhaust. A push mower will keep 80 lbs. of carbon emissions from entering our atmosphere each year.

For 3 months out of the year, if you were to air dry your cloths instead of using an electric cloths dryer, you can save 350 pounds of carbon emissions from entering our atmosphere and keep $40 extra in your pocket each year.

carpooling is a great way to save money, save the environment and have a little more fun on your way to and from work. By carpooling one day per week you can decrease your carbon emissions by almost 800 pounds per year and save hundreds of dollars too.

When your car is sitting idle, it is getting zero miles per gallon, and after one minute of idling, you car is burning more gasoline then it takes to restart it. Make a conscious mental note to turn your car off when you are waiting in a parking lot, in line at a food joint or stopped at a long light.

The average person drives approximately 231 miles per week and at 20 miles per gallon over 60 pounds of CO2 emission are being released into the atmosphere every week from every person. Tell us how many miles per week you drive and we will update your emissions.

Aggressive driving drastically reduces your fuel economy by 10.5%. By driving the speed limit and not accelerating very fast you can save allot of money and emissions.

Low tire pressure will drastically reduce your fuel economy and cost you money and increase your emissions. By simply checking your tires once a month and refilling them when needed, you can reduce your emissions by over 250 pounds and save $840 each year.

Just link the air filter in your home, a dirty car filter will cause the car to work harder to get less air. This causes decreased gas mileage and increased emissions. By simply checking your car's air filter each month and changing it when it gets full of dirt, you can save over 800 pounds of carbon emissions from reaching our atmosphere and save $130 per year. Checking the air filter is very easy and generally no tools are required, just ask you mechanic to show you how.

Spark plugs fire as many as 3,000 times for each mile you drive, so it is important to have them checked frequently for chemical and electrical erosion. Dirty or eroded spark plugs can cause misfires, which means some fuel is not ignited for energy and is simply exhausted instead. This misfiring will reduce your engine's efficiency and gas mileage, and increase toxic emissions. Replace spark plugs as recommended by the vehicle manufacturer.

Using clean reformatted and oxygenated gasoline's can not only reduce toxic emissions by over 15%, but they can save you a bundle in fuel cost. Some places will not have these gasoline's available to them, however there are many places where these gasoline's are federally mandated and are usually sold during the colder months.

Ethanol is an alcohol produced by the fermentation of sugar. While many crops and products can serve as the basis for ethanol production, the most common source is corn. Unfortunately corn ethanol, if produced with the aid of traditional dirty electricity is actually responsible for more emissions than just burning gasoline. However, sugar cane ethanol and corn ethanol made in plants run from alternative energy, create a fuel which is much better for the environment and can reduce emissions by over 25%. We have an ethanol conversion kit which can convert any car so it can run on ethanol, however, until we see ethanol being produced primarily from clean energy and/or micro algae, we will NOT sell the conversion kit.

Biodiesel is a renewable fuel made from vegetable or animal oils and alcohol. The chemical reaction between the alcohol and oil removes the glycerin, which can be used to make soap and creates the biodiesel. Biodiesel can be safely used in any diesel engine and using it will reduce your emissions by approximately 78% and save you a ton on fuel cost. You can produce your own biodiesel for about .85 cents per gallon by following this guide.

Oxy-Hydrogen is a mixture of oxygen and hydrogen that is produced after hydrogen is extracted from distilled water through electrolysis. This oxy-hydrogen(Brown's gas) can then be funneled into an engine and burned to produce more power and better fuel efficiency. Unlike pure hydrogen, supplemental oxy-hydrogen can be added to any car without having to make any modifications to the engine, fuel injectors or anything else. Using an add-on oxy-hydrogen generator can increase your fuel economy and reduce your toxic emissions by 17% to 28%.

Fuel catalyst work by transforming your car's gasoline into a much cleaner version of the original, which makes for a better and more complete combustion. The problem with gasoline cars is that the combustion engine does not burn the fuel completely and this is what causes Carbon Monoxide, Nitrogen Oxide and Carbon Dioxide emissions, all of which have very harmful affects on our environment. With a Fitch® Fuel Catalyst you can increase your gas mileage and decrease your emissions by 17%.

Help curb pollution by purchasing a vehicle with good fuel economy. These generally include smaller cars, diesel trucks and flex fuel vehicles. When buying a car, the following link is a great resource to compare and contrast different vehicles. http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/findacar.htm

Taking some sort of public transportation to work is one of the best ways of reducing your personal toxic emissions. By taking the bus or train to work every day, you can expect savings of about $1,500 and 200 gallons of gas per year, saving 1,068 pounds of carbon emission from being released into the atmosphere. Not to mention the savings associated with extending the life of your vehicle and reducing the amount of yearly maintenance.

Hybrid vehicles are vehicles which combines a conventional propulsion system with an on-board rechargeable energy storage system (batteries) to achieve better fuel economy than conventional vehicles without being hampered by range. Hybrid vehicles are a great way to drastically reduce your emissions and fuel cost. Specifically, hybrid vehicles will save approximately 1,600 pounds of carbon emissions from being released into the atmosphere each year and save up to $3,750 per year, and that's not including all of the new hybrid tax credits.

Burning a gallon of jet fuel produces 21 pounds of carbon emissions, compare that to a little over 5 pounds of carbon emission per gallon of gasoline. This make air travel one of the most polluting activities any individual can do. By eliminating just one short plane trip each year, you can save over 1,080 pounds of carbon emissions from entering our atmosphere.

Burning a gallon of jet fuel produces 21 pounds of carbon emissions, compare that to a little over 5 pounds of carbon emission per gallon of gasoline. This make air travel one of the most polluting activities any individual can do. By eliminating just one cross country plane trip each year, you can save over 3,680 pounds of carbon emissions from entering our atmosphere.

Burning a gallon of jet fuel produces 21 pounds of carbon emissions, compare that to a little over 5 pounds of carbon emission per gallon of gasoline. This make air travel one of the most polluting activities any individual can do. By eliminating just one international plane trip each year, you can save a whopping 14,000 pounds of carbon emissions from entering our atmosphere.