What can we do in daily life to conserve resources ? I am concerned that we are consuming lot of natural resources than required in our daily life.
I do some from my side to conserve energy in daily life

Do carpooling
Remove extra decorative bulbs from my lamps
Turn of my office PC monitor after work.
Planning to install sensor lamps in my living room.
I reuse paper bags.

And I like to know more ideas , which can be done in our daily life to avoid wastage. or with high recycled content.

Track the energy use of various appliances in your house by using products such as kill-a-watt (http://www.p3international.com/products/...

I get great ideas from Care2.com care2.com

Definitely recycle. Also, just use your common sense. The things we learned in 1st grade are really good. Like reusing things, using two sides of the paper, making a scrap pile incase someone else can use it. I%26#039;m sure you could think of many use to conserve the resources we use in everyday life. I hope this helps.

Making smart transportation choices to conserve energy is important, but your home is significantly larger than any car and it runs 24/7 instead of the hour or so you spend driving each day. Improving your home’s energy use can exert a huge impact on your pocketbook, the planet and the future lifestyles of your great grandchildren.

You can hire a specialist to design and build a zero-energy home just for you, or you can adjust the home you have to make the most of it. The average new building relies on technologies like air conditioning to maintain acceptable comfort levels. But older buildings were often planned and constructed with cooling in mind because there were no other alternatives when they were built. These older homes need updating based on what we know now, while newer homes need to be adjusted for greater energy conservation. Either way, improvements in energy use at home must be made with a long-term perspective.


Tips to Increase Energy Efficiency
Things You%26#039;ll Need
Fluourescent lighting
Outdoor clothes line
Energy efficient heaters and coolers
Foam board insulating sheeting
Energy-efficent washing machine

Step OneReduce the size of your living space. Consider subdividing larger houses to accommodate multiple households, grow your household to fill the space you have, or just close off rooms you rarely use.

Step TwoInsulate, insulate, insulate! For older houses, insulate from the inside. On newer houses, you can insulate from the outside. To maximize the insulation%26#039;s effectiveness, consistently apply it throughout the house. For example, a well-insulated wall is virtually useless next to an open window. Use foam board insulating sheathing instead of, or apply it on top of, the structural OSB or plywood. It works for both insulation and moisture/condensation control.

Step ThreeEnsure that your home is airtight. For more information, see the related eHow article on eliminating air leaks in your home.

Step FourInstall quality windows (low emissivity coated, double or triple glazed with argon fill gas). Your building supply store should clearly label these. Whenever possible, reduce the size of your windows; they can represent a huge source of air loss.

Step FiveLandscape. It’s easy to predict the location of the sun throughout the day during each season. In tropical climates, plant trees to shade your home during the hottest hours of the day. If your winter climate is especially cold, choose deciduous trees (those that lose their leaves). They will protect your home from the summer sun, but will let the sun warm your place come winter.

Step SixInstall energy-efficient appliances including water heater, furnace and air conditioner when necessary. Look for an energy-efficient label at the store. Aim for a tankless instantaneous hot water heater (EF=~0.85), a 90% condensing furnace and a 12 to 13 SEER air conditioner. For warmer climates, get a 14 or higher SEER air conditioner instead.

Step SevenAfter handling your heating, cooling and water heating needs, address the electric loads inside your house. The refrigerator is probably the most important appliance since it’s always on. You can sometimes make up the cost of the new appliance in electricity savings within a year.

Step EightReduce your electricity use with fluorescent lighting. If you’ve had bad experiences with fluorescent lighting in the past, give it another chance. Compact fluorescent technology is continually improving. You must wait for fluorescent bulbs to attain full brightness, so don’t judge them after you first turn them on. You might also pair fluorescents with incandescents to trim energy usage. With a flick of a switch, this duo can deliver bright light with a good spectrum.

Step NineBuy an efficient washing machine. The Energy Star horizontal-axis or front-loading washer saves both water and energy. It even rinses more detergent out of your clothes. Whichever machine you chose, make sure it carries a good Energy Star rating.

Step TenAir-dry your laundry. This prolongs the life of your clothing and reduces your energy demands. In cold climates or apartments, use an indoor drying rack. Otherwise, line drying outdoors makes clothes smell fresh. Careful line drying can often reduce the need for ironing and also save you time.

Tips %26amp; Warnings

Structural improvements will generally yield greater benefits than good appliances.

Technologies like home solar energy panels, home windmills, fuel cells or gas turbine cogeneration are effective, but first make sure you’ve maximized the above points for the to improving your home’s energy conservation without spending much money. These technologies are pricey, so, the less energy you use, the less you%26#039;ll spend on these technologies to generate your own power.

Buy Energy Star rated products.

Energy Star rates houses as well as appliances. Consider buying one when looking for a new home. However, there are still improvements you can make even on an Energy Star-approved home.

o matter whether you%26#039;re heating or cooling your home, you%26#039;re going to use energy, and energy costs money. If you can make your home more energy efficient, you can save yourself some money and as an added bonus, help preserve the environment. Here%26#039;s some ideas on how you can make your home more energy efficient.

Block drafts

Things You%26#039;ll Need
programmable thermostat
compact fluorescent lights
insulation for hot water pipes and electrical outlets
replacement furnace filters


Step OneUse a lighted incense stick or a tissue on a stick to find any drafts. Move it slowly around windows and doors, even slight air movement will move the smoke or the tissue.

Step TwoCheck the caulking around your windows. There should be no gaps in the caulking between them and the walls of your house. If there is a leak, remove the old and install new caulking. Checking the caulking every year is a good way to save energy.

Step ThreeCheck the weather-stripping on your doors. Weather-stripping prevents drafts from getting in or cool air getting out. If you have no weather-stripping it%26#039;s easy to add, lots of it is adhesive- backed and just sticks on to the doorframe or bottom of the door.

Step FourCheck around your electrical outlets. Areas behind the electrical outlets and switches are often not insulated, but you can buy thin foam insulation specifically designed to fit under an outlet plate that will block drafts.

Conserve energy

Step OneInstall a programmable thermostat to control the temperature in your home. It will adjust the temperature to match your schedule and ensure you aren%26#039;t heating or cooling an empty house.

Step TwoConsider using compact fluorescent lights instead of regular incandescent bulbs. Fluorescent bulbs provide an equivalent amount of light, but use much less energy and don%26#039;t produce anywhere near the amount of heat a regular bulb does.

Step ThreeTurn down the temperature in your water heater. Many water heaters are set so high the water could scald someone. Adjust the temperature to 120 degrees.