Dishwashers tend to have a life expectancy of nine years and typical problems include leaks where you have to check for a broken latch door or bad motor pump seal. If there are problems with the drainage, check to make sure that the garbage disposer is clear. You should definitely look into buying a new one if the motor fails or the repairs to fix the leaks become too expensive.

Dryers typically last about 13 years and you should look into fixing them if the clothes take too long to dry than you are typically accustomed to waiting. First clean the exhaust duct all the way to the outside and replace plastic or foil duct with metal. Again, similar to the dishwasher, if the motor fails it is probably best to buy a new one.

Washers are another important piece of the puzzle and if there is vibrating during the spin cycle, check for solid footing and then as needed adjust the leg height so that it is level and you can also loo into reinforcing the floor with plywood screwed to the joists. Again if the drive motor or transmission breaks, it is best to replace.

Stoves have a life expectancy of 15 years for gas and 13 years if electric and issues which can be fixed include whether the gas burner doesn’t light or only lights partway. You can clean the holes with a needle and if the electric burner fails, simply buy a new one. However, trash it and buy a new one if repairs costs more than a new appliance.

There are definitely more appliances which can be examined but this is only a short list and by all means, make sure your budget can handle any repairs or replacements before making such major decisions or it might be you calling 911 for yourself.

Cotton Fiber Insulation: This product is made from recycled blue-jeans scraps; is soft and safe to handle and 100% recyclable. Safety perks include it being treated to resist fire, no formaldehyde or other chemical irritants and no itching or skin irritation.

Natural Linoleum is not only long lasting but also recyclable; no glue is required for the “click-in-place” installation. Safety features include asthma and allergy friendly and dry dusting prevents allergen accumulation.

Cool Metal Roofing saves approximately thirty to forty percent on cooling and energy costs and lasts two to three times longer than conventional shingle roofs. A perk is that it is resistant to hail, wind and fire.

Energy Efficient Windows are a fantastic way to reduce heat loss and cooling costs, especially the Energy Star compliant windows which greatly reduce energy bills from between 7 to 24 percent. An excellent safety perk if you are worried about kids playing sports or if you live in a busy neighborhood is that the laminated glass reduces outside noise and stays in place if broken. You will still be annoyed by those footballs or golf balls but at least the people inside the house will be safe from the minimal impact of the broken glass.

Finally, there is Mold Resistant Wallboard or gypsum wallboard with a moisture resistant core that reduces risk of mold and wasteful replacement. An excellent safety perk is that it helps to keep indoor air quality at a healthy level.

So even if you are not able to implement all of these changes at once, it is a good start to keep some of these options in mind. Not only are you reducing your energy costs but keeping your family safe also.

With respect to cars you can:

1. Keep the air filter clean:

o Just like humans, cars and vehicles need to breathe properly also. The dirtier the air filter the harder the vehicle will have to work thus burning more gas and hurting your wallet even more.

2. Car pooling with people who you like:

o Obviously if there is another passenger in your car, that is one less car off the road if he or she is accustomed to driving. Remember though to let your passengers know that they have to respect your vehicle, do not let them slam your car doors or let your doors slam against a wall, other cars or stationary objects. You might end up spending more money fixing the damages than what you might be trying to save by going green. Also remember that with more people in your car, you will have higher gas expenses but considerably less gas will be used compared to having your passenger drive their own car. Ask your car pooling buddies if they will pitch in for gas, since gas seems to be going up all over the world and probably will not return to levels which we are used to.

3. Hand wash your own car:

o Many of us love our cars and some but not all, wash our cars at home. It is true there are car washes at your local garage or gas station but there are still many countries where it is not the custom to go to a car wash. So for those who still wash their own car by hand, try using a bucket and water instead of the hose. In other words, fill the bucket with some water and get a sponge and wash the car yourself. You can use a scrub brush for the tires since that surface is tougher. You will be amazed at how far a bucket of water can go and you will not constantly have the water running when the hose is not in use.

In your home there are many possibilities but a few are as follows:

1. Recycle your glass and plastic bottles:

o Even if you are the one who does not go to the recycling center, there is nothing wrong with putting your bottles into separate bags and placing them by the trash. In many cities around the world, the less fortunate collect bottles and return them to the recycling center themselves to collect the few cents per dollar. Help do your parts by separating the bottles into their own bags, instead of having such people go through your garbage looking for bottles and causing a mess on the sidewalk or around your garbage collecting area.

2. Find creative ways to use items:

o Think of a way to reuse items before throwing them out. If you ship things frequently, maybe hold onto clean items such as egg boxes, cartons that are washed out or simply boxes that you may receive. These can be reused for shipping and packaging purposes.

3. Solar heating:

o Use a solar heating system for your water, if available in your country. In many developing countries such as certain islands in the Caribbean, they have been using solar heating for decades now. You basically have a tank of water on your roof, with solar panels connected to it and the heat from the sun heats the water which is stored in the tank. True that in countries which have the winter season or where it is not hot all year around, some sort of backup system will have to be used. But the point is, for those few months of spring, summer and fall where it is possible to have the warmth of the sun to heat your water; this is a viable and cheap alternative.

Obviously, there are many other areas which you can look at whether it be with your electronics, personal self with respect to walking instead of driving, you can look at generating your electricity at home with the use of home based wind wills and even with your pet’s food.

I hope this article has allowed people to realize that it is the simple things which can allow all of us to get started on going green within the home and our businesses and that we can help create or leave behind a better Earth for future generations.

For further information, please see the eBook “50 Tips on Going Green within the Home and hence Save some Money” which can be purchased through Payloadz or swpstore on eBay.