Andrew

Green technology can be a confusing concept for many people, and one of the reasons for this is because there are no official criteria for what makes technology green. For example, an app on your smartphone, an energy efficient fridge and a wind turbine could all be categorised as green tech. Because of this, there are many misconceptions about green technology, and this can make it hard for consumers to make the best decisions. Here are a few myths that you may want to keep in mind when it comes to greener technology. Everything About Green Technology Is Eco-Friendly When you buy a green technology product, you may think that it is going to be made from greener materials, but this is not always the case. Its green credentials may be that it uses less power, but the actual materials may not come into it at all. Or it may save you energy, but it may not be made from materials that can be recycled. Quite simply, not all manufacturers will take this into account when they design technology products. Try to look for technology that is green in more ways than one. Not just in its use of less power, for example, but also in the materials it is made from and how it is recycled. Green Products Are Always the Best Option Sometimes you may be led to believe that simply by choosing an eco-product you are doing your bit for the environment. You may see a new computer advertised as eco-friendly because it uses less power, but leaving that computer on all day may use more energy than turning off another non-green computer when you are not using it. Green technology is not therefore automatically better, and it requires your input to get the most out of it. Green Is Always More Costly Many people will automatically assume that green tech is always the more expensive option. Sometimes this is true, but not always. Green technology is often about longer-term benefits. You might pay more in the immediate future, but down the line you may be able to make large savings. And you have to remember that savings also come in the form of environmental savings. Other green technologies could help you to make more immediate savings. Something like the Nest Learning Thermostat, for example, could be considered green technology, and it could really help you to save you money by cutting the amount of energy you use. The new smart meters may also be able to help you cut down on your energy usage by increasing your awareness of how much energy you use each day. When it comes to saving money, there are many factors to consider, and it's important to look at all of these together. For example, you may want to use something like the Nest thermostat while also choosing a more suitable energy tariff to reduce your bills. You could also use an online tool to help you do this, such as the Tariff Information Label search tool on the npower.com website. So don't just rely on one type of technology to save you money, and consider all your options. It's How You Use It that Matters The most important thing to remember is that it is how you use green technology that matters. Reducing your energy use may well involve choosing greener options, but don't stop at that and assume you are doing enough. The fact is you may also have to change your habits to cut energy usage and reduce your bills.

The one thing that many homeowners will agree upon is that energy prices seem to be constantly heading in one direction only, with prices steadily increasing over the last few years and no signs of a reversal in the trend. When you consider that the average price rise for electricity has been somewhere around 30% over the last three years, it soon becomes clear that you need to adopt some savings strategies to keep a lid on the costs. Shop around Suppliers like Blue Star Energy offer a variety of different tariffs and it makes a lot of sense to practice consumer power and shop around to see if you can lower the amount you pay by switching to a new supplier. Compare the various energy plans and see if the amount that you are paying per kilowatt hour is more than it could be. Banish energy inefficiency Take a look around your house and see if you can identify some guilty power guzzling appliances that you could do without or need updated to a more efficient model. One of the quickest ways of cutting your electricity bill is to replace any remaining incandescent bulbs that you have in your home with much more efficient compact fluorescent lights. After you have done that, take a look at any old appliances that you are running and see how many energy rating stars they have, if at all. Some of the most power-hungry appliances are washing machines, clothes dryers, refrigerators and plasma TV’s. If you have an old fridge that you use specifically for storing your beer in for example, if you replace with a new model with a much higher energy rating, you might even be able to afford to put a few more beers in the fridge rather than paying more for your electricity. Hot water settings How much you pay for your hot water in the house can account for as much as one third of your total power usage in a twelve month period, so you can make some serious savings if you target this area of electricity consumption. If you are currently on a single or peak rate tariff for your electric hot water, try to see if you can switch to an off-peak hard wired electric hot water system. Adjusting the thermostat setting can also make quite a substantial difference to costs without being that noticeable. A minor adjustment where you reduce the temperature setting by just five degrees can make a noticeable difference to your energy bills but do remember that a minimum of 60 degrees Celsius is recommended, in order to prevent bacteria from building up in your system. Change your habits Saving money on your energy bills is not all about sweeping changes. Very often, lots of small changes in your expensive or wasteful habits can add up to some very worthwhile savings. Many of us are guilty of leaving appliances like the DVD player and our phone chargers on standby but leaving them plugged in can very easily add up to as much as 10% of your energy bill overall when you add them all together. These small strategies can add up to big savings and with energy bills seemingly still on the rise, you have to do what you can to keep your household costs under control.

Generators are of course extremely useful and provide a power solution in many difficult situations. They do however need to be treated with great respect and with safety a crucial consideration if you are to avoid some potentially dangerous situations. If you want to get the most from your diesel generators from Able Sales or other reputable supplier, here are some vital tips and advice to help you use your power generator as safely as possible. Don’t skip the instruction manual Probably the most obvious advice, but reading the instruction manual thoroughly and familiarising yourself with the workings of the generator is one of the most important safety steps you can take. Every model of generator is going to have its subtle differences and irrespective of whether they all ultimately do the same thing, you must get to know the relevant dos and don’ts of your particular machine. Even if you have previously owned a different generator in the past, never make any assumptions and don’t think that you can skip the instruction manual and everything will be ok. Fresh air Always run your portable generator outdoors. Petrol and diesel-powered generators all have the capacity to produce deadly carbon monoxide fumes, so you should only every run the equipment outside and never within the confines of a garage, shed or other confined space where ventilation is an issue. Practice good fuel safety You must only ever consider using the right type of fuel that the manufacturer recommends for your power generator. If you followed good advice and read the instructions, you will already know what fuel you need to use but also check operator instructions on the label of the machine as an extra precaution. Make sure the generator is turned off before you attempt to refuel and if you do spill any petrol or diesel, make sure that you clear it up straight away. Know your limits Every power generator has its limits and trying to get more power than it is designed for is potentially asking for trouble. You should primarily determine the amount of power that you need so that you avoid overloading your generator. If your generator is not able to produce enough power to operate everything that you want it to, it is far safer to simply stagger the use of your equipment rather than attempt to overload your generator to a level where safety becomes an issue. The right connection It is also very important that you ensure that items are connected properly to the power generator at all times. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for specific guidance and plug appliances into the generator either directly or through a suitable heavy-duty extension cord that has a rating at least equal to the sum of the connected appliances. Under no circumstances whatsoever should you attempt to power your house by plugging the generator directly into a wall outlet. Follow these few words of advice and take the time to familiarise yourself with the workings of your generator. If you do this, hopefully you will stay safe and get the best use out of your equipment.