Saving money is not just an eco-friendly prerogative. All of us probably spend more money on our fuel bills than we perhaps would like but when it comes to heating, lighting and other forms of energy – the more we conserve, the more we benefit the environment and our pockets.

And one of the main areas we can save money, especially in the winter when we use more fuel in our efforts to keep warm – is heating.

There are many methods of reducing our heating bills: Insulation, radiator panels, keeping radiators in empty rooms off etc. but there is a more basic and natural way where you can even provide free heating!

Open fires

Open fires have the advantage of being able to burn almost anything. Obviously the less smoke you produce the better for the environment and the more heat you can get out of the fuel you burn the better.

Many people are now reverting to open fires and using logs to provide heat. Logs are incredibly cheap and can keep a home warm with an enviable romance of flickering flame. But ensuring the logs you use are dry is important in making sure they don’t produce too much smoke and burn with enough heat.

Log stores are the best method for storing logs throughout the year as they will ensure they remain dry and ready for the fire. Log stores come in all sorts of sizes and enable you to store wood throughout the warmer months; leaving you with enough dry fuel for the entire winter.

Log Makers

But if you wish to save even more money, then you should consider a log maker. Log makers compress recyclable paper, card and newspaper into compact burnable fuel for the fire. This means that not only can you get rid of that paper you were saving for recycling but you can also have free heating for the entire winter. » Read more: Log Making, Log Stores and Other Eco Tips

Many people think that green energy means to convert your home electric system over to a “Green Energy Producer.” That is one of the methods of going green, and is a big part of the movement. Unfortunately, converting an existing home or business over to green energy is often a time consuming and expensive process. What many people don’t realize is that they can “Go Green” for free, starting immediately. Part of the Green Movement is to reduce. Reduce consumption of energy and things that require energy use for production. Here are five tips that can be use to Go Green today.

1. Turn off lights when not using, or when not necessary. This is so easy, it almost pains me to list it. How often do you leave a room and forget to turn off the light. That light, lighting an empty room is consuming electricity which costs you money, and requires the use of either coal, natural gas or petroleum products to produce the electricity. Just get in the habit of flipping the switch off when leaving the room. Also, if lights are not really necessary, leave them off. Many times during daylight hours, most inside tasks can be performed using available daylight coming through windows. Leave the lights off if not really necessary.
2. Take shorter or fewer showers. A long shower can waste two resources. Water and fossil fuels. Millions of gallons of water are used by the process of showering. By taking shorter showers by limiting the time spent to five minutes or less, millions of gallons of water will be saved for other uses. Also, shorter showers mean less hot water is used, which will save either on electricity or fuel oil depending on the type of hot water heater is used. This will not only save money, but natural resources as well.
3. Drive less miles. Driving automobiles is a huge use of natural resources, and the process is a huge polluter of the environment. Not only does an automobile spew toxic gases into the air that we breath, the process of providing the fuel that they use is fraught with environmental hazards. Think of the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill by BP and the tremendous amount of environmental damage they caused, not to mention the human lives lost in the initial explosion. Using less gasoline will greatly benefit the environment. By planning your day, less miles can be driven by consolidating errands. Also, walk where you have to go if at all possible. Use public transportation if available. » Read more: Five Tips on Saving Energy in Your Home Today