Well, if it isn’t enough that the Europeans and various other parts of the world consider us to be “Ugly Americans,” each one of us need to do are part for the environment. Did you know that America only makes up 4% of the world’s population, but consumes of around 25% of the world’s energy. It doesn’t matter if you think we’re greedy, need a lesson in green energy, or simply Americans are ugly when it comes to energy, the point is it’s time to change.

Needless to say this is quite embarrassing, especially when you consider most Europeans have cut down on traditional forms of energy. A great example of this is when the European Union announced their plans to reduce CO2 levels by 20% before 2020. This means several companies will have to work together and utilize other forms of energy such as solar and wind. Billions have already been invested in this product by Germany, Great Britain, and the Netherlands (as well as others), in hopes of changing the world.

Do you know what the Americans did? Uhm, absolutely nothing. Instead our politicians spent countless hours arguing over whether this is a viable problem. Without an agreement it means there is no new legislation, and without legislation we are left looking like the bad guy in the world’s eyes. The truth is our politicians are missing the point. Even if climate change wasn’t a real issue, we are still consuming a quarter of the world’s energy. This is really embarrassing, and the only way to control it is by utilizing all the alternatives that are right in front of us everyday.

So what are we supposed to do with all these problems? The first thing is to understand that the citizens of the United States have to make the change themselves. We all have to work hand in hand and do our part to change the environment for the better. All it takes is someone like you to start a cycle, tell all your friends and family, and then hope that they do the same thing. In the end you will save money on bills, help the environment, and feel better about yourself as an American.

Solar Power – The first option most people turn to is solar power. This definitely makes sense considering our recent rise in electricity costs. While solar power is clean, sustainable, and free, it’s extremely inexpensive to install. Just ask all the individuals already taking this route whether or not there are plenty of benefits. What it comes down to is the majority of your electricity needs can be met with ease. However, solar power doesn’t produce electricity on cloudy days or at night, so some people utilize wind turbines as well.

Wind Turbines – One of the most important things to understand about wind turbines is that they are simply small windmills. Each one of these can produce energy by the use of wind and are like we mentioned earlier, they are often used with solar energy to get the maximum benefits. It only costs a few hundred bucks to install which is a minor price for all the money you will save in the long run. Best of all there isn’t a lot of maintenance either.

Hybrid Cars – While hybrid cars are currently a bit more expensive than average cars, a hybrid owner will quickly realize he made a wise investment when he sees the money he’s saving on gasoline. On average, a hybrid owner can expect to save up to $1500 a year on gas. Think about it! That means that if you drive your car for a decade you’ll save up to $15,000! itself.

Fluorescent Lights – Replace all of your standard light bulbs with compact fluorescent ones. These bulbs are far more energy efficient and may end up saving you hundreds of dollars a year on your electricity bill. They also last up to 10,000 hours, which is 10 times as long as the average bulb, and when they are spent they can even be recycled.

Energy Efficient Windows – Believe if or not, most of the heat that is lost from your home during the winter is lost because of poorly constructed windows. Making an investment in energy efficient windows is probably the best thing you can do to instantly lower your heating bill.

In the end it’s all about knowing what’s out there. If each one of us can utilize just one of these options, the rest of the world will stop thinking we’re just ugly Americans. Oh, and we’ll help the environment tremendously.

About the author: Jerry Dyess has been in the Electricity business for many years. He has published many articles on Business Electric prices.

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