"Going green" is a phrase that is becoming more prevalent everyday. The push to save the environment keeps getting stronger, and yet our efforts do not reflect the urgency.
The high up-front costs of eco-friendly products or converting an old home to a green home have slowed the progress toward a more energy-efficient environment. But what few people fail to realize is the monetary savings over an extended period.
There are many ways to look at reducing your energy consumption. These can range from replacing your windows or heating system with the latest in high- efficiency designed systems or to building up the insulation in your home. However, all of these ideas are expensive, and the payback could take a long time.
Even though many of these eco-friendly innovations may seem costly and cumbersome, it can also be as simple as changing your shades.
An inexpensive alternative, energy-efficient EcoSmart insulating shades can literally pay for themselves in as few as five years, depending on where you live. These shades are compact, attractive and available in a range of colors and light filtering (for most applications) or room darkening (for bedrooms or home theaters). They also stay clean and are easy to maintain while blocking out virtually all damaging and harmful ultra-violet rays.
However, the best news is that according to data from a model developed by Berkeley Labs, in as few as five years the shades can pay for themselves in energy savings and can start putting money back in your pocket while making your home much more comfortable.
The study covers a large number of cities in the U.S. An example of the study's results indicate that in Portland, Maine, a 54- inch-by-66-inch EcoSmart light- filtering shade would save approximately $412 over 10 years. That shade costs the homeowner less than $200, so in about five years the shade will have paid for itself and started putting money back in the homeowner's pocket.
To get more information on this study, or to find out what the savings are in your market, go to www.EcoSmartInsulatingShades.com and request a copy of the study.
(NewsUSA)
