KNOXVILLE, Tennessee — Have you been looking for ways to make some changes in your life to make yourself more green?
Well, these tips are ones you can easily do day-to-day and don't break the bank.
Don't come into this thinking I'm going to demand you buy solar panels and a hybrid.
GREEN HOME HACKS
If you want your home to be more eco-friendly (after all, that is where we spend the majority of our time), you don't have to spend a lot of money or get the latest and greatest equipment to do so.
It all comes down to your choices. A light bulb go off for you yet? Because that's one of the changes you can make.
Light bulbs
Replacing halogen or CFL light bulbs with LED ones is an easy way to save energy that can also save you some money.
LED bulbs may cost more upfront, but those bulbs will last you way longer. Many sources say just one eco-friendly bulb can last for about a decade of use.
Turn off those light bulbs
This is an easy one: turn off the lights in the rooms in your home when you're not using them. This saves energy and also saves you some cash on that electric bill.
Program that thermostat
If you are able, you can also invest in a programmable thermostat. These handy gadgets allow you to set your home at a certain temperature for when you're at home and another for when you're away-- again reducing your energy usage and saving you money.
Shorter showers, leaky faucets and cold laundry water
Moving from lights to water... take shorter showers!
Just reducing the amount of the time you're in the shower by one minute can save you up to 150 gallons of water a month!
Also, here's a friendly reminder to fix that leaky faucet! A faucet that drips one drip every second can add up to five gallons of water per day to your usage--that's wasted water and money!
When you're washing your clothes, use the cold setting as much as you can. According to Energy Star, almost 90% of the energy your washing machine uses goes toward heating the water. By using cold water, you can decrease your CO2 emissions by 1600 pounds per year!
GREEN CAR HACKS
Millions of Americans don't have an electric car like a Tesla or a hybrid vehicle like a Prius, but just because you don't have one of those cars doesn't mean you need to give up on the idea of being an eco-friendly driver.
There's plenty of ways to decrease your carbon footprint the easy way.
First up: At the gas station
When you fill up, make sure you're not topping off your tank at the pump. Once that automatic nozzle shuts off, leave it at that. Your tank needs room for the gas to expand.
People will usually try to get the very last drop into their tank, but that often leads to spills on the concrete, which is not ideal.
Next up: At the car wash
Don't be afraid to wash your car at a car wash! While it may seem more eco-friendly to wash your car in your driveway, that's not the case.
The water that runs off into the road when you use a hose and soapy water in your driveway may contribute to gas and exhaust residue washing into storm drains.
Next: Check your tire pressure
You should check your tire pressure fairly frequently. Under-inflated tires don't roll as easily as full tires, so your engine has to work harder to get them going -- meaning you're burning more gas in the process.
Once you fill up your tires with the appropriate amount of air, not only will your car drive smoother, but you'll also burn less energy.
And finally: Regular tune-ups
It's also important to get regular tune-ups to make sure your car is running efficiently and produces fewer emissions. Taking good care of your car is important and ultimately means you'll be able to hold onto your vehicle as long as possible.