Choices that work against climate change

 The threat of climate change is real. There are ways that each of us can participate in the global goal of lowering carbon emissions. You can use your purchasing power to fight climate change and reduce your carbon footprint. If the time comes to replace items in your house, it’s possible to make a choice that reduces impact on the environment for decades. In many cases, the best choice for the environment will also save you money 

   When you’re working to reduce your carbon footprint, the simplest thing to do is to update the lighting in your house. LED bulbs are now widely available at low cost. These bulbs are generally four to five times as efficient as incandescent bulbs. This means that by changing all your light bulbs to LEDs, you can cut your lighting bill down by about 75%. For many houses this can be done for less than $100, and it will not take long for you to save that much on your electric bill. In a few hours you can lower your bills, improve the quality of your lighting, keep your house cooler in the summer, and take your own action against climate change.  

  If you are replacing a furnace, or you have electric resistance heat, an excellent option is a mini-split ductless heat pump. Heat pumps do not convert energy to heat, instead they pump heat from outside to inside, (or inside to out when operating in air conditioning mode.) They can pump heat “uphill” from cold areas to warm areas, by using technology similar to refrigerators and air conditioners. Compared to electric resistance heat, they will typically provide two to three times as much heat for the same energy use. 

Of course, the very best way to dry clothes, towels and bedding is on the line in the wind and sun. 

In the Pacific Northwest, this option is not available for much of the year. 

Using technology similar to the mini -split heat pump, ductless heat pump dryers are now for sale in the U.S. More commonly used in Europe, these compact ductless dryers are the most energy efficient electric dryers made.