How to Encourage a Green Lifestyle: Energy Saving Tips For Families

Spring is just around the corner, which means that warm weather will be here before you know it. When temperatures rise, our energy consumption (and our bills) tend to spike. If you want to preserve the planet as a family, there are quite a number of ways to save energy in your home that'll likely make a big difference. Not only will you be reducing harmful emissions when you save energy, but you'll also have lower bills and can enjoy spending quality time together. Here are a few energy saving tips that will make every member of your family want to go green this spring.

Unplug those gadgets and get outside
Your kids may be tempted to stay in front of the TV and play video games, but the beautiful weather provides the perfect opportunity to play outside. Not only are those gadgets a huge energy suck, but they can also lead to a sedentary lifestyle. It's becoming less common to see kids playing outside for hours in the spring and summertime, but you can help break these habits. Take a walk around the neighborhood after dinner or ride your bikes together on the weekends. You'll save energy within your home and expend it outdoors! Both your monthly bills and your family members will be healthier as a result.

Discuss some new house rules
If you're making it a family mission to help the environment, sit down and talk about things everyone can do around the house to assist in your goal. Whether you're conserving energy by keeping windows and doors closed when the air conditioning is on or convincing the kids to limit their time standing in front of an open fridge door, these little changes can have a big impact.

Consider renewable energy
It may not be an option for every family situation, but you may want to think about utilizing renewable energy techniques to power your home. Solar power is becoming more common and more affordable, making it a popular choice for families who want to go green. While it'll be a bigger investment initially, it will allow you to save on energy costs in the long run. And since the sun tends to shine more in the spring and summer, it's the perfect time to teach your kids about the benefits of renewable energy.

Plant a tree (or several!)
Well-placed trees around your property can cool your home and allow you to save money on your energy bills during the warmer months. When you don't have to use as much energy to keep your home comfortable, you're automatically practicing conservation. In fact, shade trees and even home painting can save up to 2.4 tons of CO2 emissions every year. In addition, a single tree can directly absorb nearly 25 pounds of CO2 from the air on a yearly basis! Simply put, trees can help us in many ways, and they're necessary for the health of the earth.

Want to learn about more ways you can conserve energy at home? Our renewable energy plans can help you reduce your carbon footprint without making sacrificing service and function. For more information about your energy options, contact Starion Energy today.

Small Energy Saving Tips That Can Lead to Big Cost Savings

It seems like everyone is going green these days, and for good reason. Reducing your personal environmental impact isn't just about hopping on a trendy bandwagon, it can also be a matter of self-preservation.   

Energy reduction isn't rocket science, but energy conservation can seem complicated, especially if you're new to all things environmental. The reality is that conserving energy can be a whole lot easier than you think. You don't have to take drastic measures such as composting, buying an electric car, or completely changing your lifestyle in order to experience major energy savings! By being mindful and practicing of a few simple energy saving tips, you can save on energy costs in some pretty impressive ways.
Here are three small energy saving tips that have a big impact!

Keep up with general home maintenance
A well maintained home is an energy efficient one! Whether it's a season tune up for your furnace, regular electrical inspections, or routine plumbing maintenance, taking care of your home's air, electrical, and plumbing systems ensures they are operating efficiently at all times. Old, outdated, or damaged systems use more energy than needed and may also pose danger. Making sure your appliances and home systems are in good working order will save you money on both energy and repair costs.

Install low flow faucets and shower heads
The kitchen and bathroom provide the most water wasting opportunities, so it's especially important to be mindful of water usage in these areas of your home. Low flow faucets and shower heads take the guess work out of using less water by reducing the amount of gallons per minute without compromising performance. All you have to do is have them installed by your plumber and then watch the energy savings flow back to you. It's really that simple!

Only use energy efficient light bulbs
Here's a bright idea; stop using old school light bulbs and make the simple switch to energy efficient alternatives. Did you know that you can reduce energy usage from roughly a third to an impressive 80% just by using energy-efficient halogen incandescents, CFLs and LEDs? Not only do these light bulbs last longer – which increases their cost efficiency on top of reducing your electric bill – but they also provide better quality light. This is one the easiest energy saving tips that is an absolute must!

4 Easy Ways You Can Save Energy in Your Own Home

It goes without saying that in some cases, a homeowner's least favorite day of the month is when the energy bills arrive. Even in this era of low energy costs, all that smartphone charging and central air conditioning adds up. But while many people complain about high energy costs, few will do anything to decrease their energy usage.
Well, there's no time like the present to save energy in your home. You might be at a loss as to how to do that, but we've got you covered. Saving money on energy costs isn't as complicated as you likely think, nor does it have to involve a total renovation of your home. Here are four simple tips that can help you save energy in your home and bid adieu to those ridiculously high energy bills.

Use cold water
Washing your clothes in cold water might be unpleasant when you're switching the laundry over, but it's going to save energy like you wouldn't believe. It takes energy to heat up all that water, so using cold water is going to help you save on energy costs, and probably on your water bill. Plus, cold water will clean your clothes just as well as hot water, while also avoiding that dreaded shrinkage.

Wear the right clothing
Something as simple as dressing for the weather can make all the difference in your energy usage. If the weather is shaping up to be cold, make sure you're wearing a warm pair of socks, warm pants, and a big sweater. Layers are great -- as is a particularly cozy hoodie. On the opposite side of the weather spectrum, summer weather should mean shorts and tank tops around the house. You'll be amazed at the energy reduction awards.

Seal windows and doors
Sealing air leaks around windows and doors can save up to 20% on heating and cooling bills. It's truly something else to see what just a little bit of caulk can do for your energy savings. Not only that, but it will keep your home warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.

Install a programmable thermostat
Programmable thermostats are one of the most useful energy savings tools you can have. Conserving energy is as simple as setting your thermostat to keep the temperature between a certain range of degrees. From there, you can program it around your schedule, ensuring that you aren't paying to heat or cool an empty home while you're away at work.
Saving energy isn't a difficult task. In fact, it can be the easiest thing in the world if you're willing to make a few simple changes to your lifestyle.

Don't let your energy bills control your life!

What Are Renewable Energy Credits?

Renewable energy credits are tradable, non-tangible green energy "currency" that can be purchased or bartered by a company. Each credit represents one megawatt-hour (MWh) of electricity, which is equal to 1,000 kilowatt-hours.

How Does This Work?
Before energy can be bought or traded, it must be produced. Power generation by independent renewable energy companies is sold to the nearest area energy suppliers. From there, it is distributed through the grid to all utility customers. In 2015, hydro-power accounted for 6% of all power generation in the U.S., but it's unlikely that any energy customers knew that.

There is no telling where the energy will go or whom the energy will benefit. It goes to the closest person in range who decides to flip their light switch or turn on their coffee maker.
Now, a green energy company that provides their services to the local energy supplier is doing a whole lot of good. They are curbing the need for fossil fuels by filtering clean energy throughout the grid. Whether energy customers realize it or not, they're consuming clean energy.

The Power Of Incentives
While some are critical of offsetting "dirty" energy by purchasing renewable energy credits, the ultimate goal here is to provide more funding for renewable energy sources.
Although some companies and individuals are unable to install solar panels or a windmill of their own to offset their energy usage, they are still contributing to the renewable energy movement by pledging their money to the energy producer.
Renewable energy credits are bringing more attention to green energy plants and allowing them to continue producing energy for customers across the grid.

Debunking the Biggest Solar Power Myths

Solar power generation may be growing at an incredible rate, but there is still a lot of misinformation floating around about the nature of this renewable energy. Below are four solar energy myths and the realities behind each.

You can't generate enough solar energy to efficiently power your entire house
This is entirely false. In fact, solar has proven to be more efficient than fossil fuels and many other resources. When fossil fuels are used to generate power, a good deal of that energy is lost as it is transferred to its destination. On the other hand, when you create solar power, all of that energy is used one way or another.

Solar panels only work in hot climates
Actually, most solar panels work best in cold, sunny climates. In lower temperatures, conductivity increases, allowing electricity to flow more efficiently. As solar panels heat up, they produce less power from the same amount of sun. Cloudy conditions may reduce the amount of energy produced, but solar panels can still work efficiently. Germany, for instance, gets less than half the amount of sun exposure as the U.S. on its sunniest day, yet Germany has one of the most successful solar initiatives on the planet.

Solar panels require a lot of maintenance
On the contrary, solar systems are extremely durable and require very little maintenance. Most installers recommend having your solar panels inspected once a year and many companies offer warranties for the whole life of the system.

Only a few states offer financial incentives for producing solar energy
In fact, nearly every state in the U.S. offers some kind of incentive for solar power generation. Furthermore, the federal government is currently offering a 30% tax credit for solar power systems installed before the end of 2019.

Solar power generation is becoming more and more convenient all the time.

Costa Rica Runs Almost Exclusively on Green Energy -- Why Don't We?

While many companies around the world are making a conscious effort to use fewer fossil fuels, finding available alternative forms of energy has proved difficult.
But while companies struggle to transition to green energy in 2016, an entire country nearly succeeded in doing so.

Costa Rica reported ran its entire country on exclusively renewable energy for 250 days last year, according to the country's power operator. Its main power source -- hydropower -- is driven by the country's heavy seasonal rains as well as the power of the surrounding rivers. In all, hydropower provided 98.1% of all energy to the country. The remaining 1.9% was provided by fossil fuels. Shockingly, Costa Rica was even greener in 2015, when 98.9% of the country's energy usage was generated by renewable sources.

So what makes Costa Rica such an energy conservation haven? Firstly, its population is only about 4.9 million people, which is about 65 times smaller than that of the United States. According to energy data, it also generates 373 times less energy than the U.S. does.

Costa Rica's economy is far from industrial. It has a much stronger agricultural and tourism focus. Even if the populations of Costa Rica and the U.S. were rationalized, the U.S. would still generate far more energy to power manufacturing plants, office buildings, schools, homes, and more.
On Dec. 23, the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that between January and October 2016, hydropower, wind, and solar generated 15% of the country's energy supply, a 5% increase from the year before. Two-thirds more of our energy was generated by natural gas and coal, and the remainder was generated by nuclear energy.

But green energy companies are plentiful in the United States. Our problem isn't a lack of energy generation, but rather that the American people don't have enough choices for energy sources.
In many areas of the country, there is only once choice for energy utilities, meaning that many residents don't even have the option of choosing a green energy company to provide heat or electricity.

Energy deregulation provides a freedom of choice when it comes to energy sources. Starion Energy is a green energy company you can feel good about using. Check to see what sort of energy we can provide in your area!

Citation: http://mashable.com/2017/01/01/costa-rica-renewable-energy-2016/#Xk.Xb_MEtOq3

3 Major Benefits of Energy Deregulation

More than 150 years ago, wood was the source of nearly 90% of the nation's power generation. But as you know, the energy industry has gone through a number of changes, and continues to do so rapidly. As we become more focused on conserving energy and reducing costs, the U.S. is seeing a shift towards energy deregulation.

For the past century or so, governmental agencies have worked with individual utility companies and energy suppliers to offer people a single standardized option. This kind of tight control helped establish an infrastructure and stabilize the industry during the early 20th century. However, in today's world, this regulated system has become outdated. Rather, supporters of energy deregulation are aiming to allow alternative suppliers to enter the market and restructure the way we purchase energy without changing the way we deliver or receive it.

The Top Three Benefits of Energy Deregulation

1. Save on energy costs
We know that capitalist economies harness the power of competition to drive down prices. This is what can happen as a result of energy deregulation. A deregulated market can help force energy suppliers to compete for business by offering more attractive rates.

2. Benefit the environment
Worried about your carbon footprint? Energy deregulation allows consumers to opt for greener energy by choosing an energy supplier who is dedicated to using renewable resources. According to the American Environmental Values Survey, as many as 77% of Americans are concerned about the environment. In a deregulated market, you have the option to do what is best for the planet while conserving energy and money.

3. Experience better customer service
Regulation can give local utility companies a monopoly on the energy market. Without any competition, they may not have to work hard for your patronage, which can result in potential customer service shortfalls. In a deregulated market, competition can help drive prices down, as well as boost customer service efforts..

Because deregulation affects who supplies your energy but not how your energy is delivered, if you do decide to switch to an alternative supplier from your local utility, you won't experience interruptions in service. You won't have to install new hardware either. The process of switching over is quick and simple.