People often talk about "making sacrifices" in order to help the environment and improve energy efficiency. The truth is, going green doesn't require a great deal of sacrifice at all. In fact, making wise choices for the environment will usually wind up benefiting you, your family, and your pocket book in the long run.

As a great example, this week's Signature Forum Home Contracting Newsletter is taking a look at green electrical appliances and systems that can greatly improve your home's efficiency while saving you hundreds of dollars on those monthly energy bills.

With so many corporations and electrical contractors jumping on board with the green movement, going green has never been easier. For every room in your house, there are numerous products or installations that can make immediate differences. Among these, energy efficient light bulbs are still perhaps the most popular and affordable place to start. It's hard to imagine how swapping your old light bulbs for compact florescent light bulbs (CFL) can make that big of a difference. But just check out these numbers from CBS News. "If every American home replaced just one light bulb with an Energy Star qualified bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, more than $600 million in annual energy costs, and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000." Those are the broad effects. On a smaller scale, the average American home can save $180 per year on their energy bills by switching to CFLs! And light bulbs are only the tip of the iceberg.

Along with other green products like electricity usage monitors, solar attic fans, radiant floor heaters, tankless water heaters, and energy efficient refrigerators, there are also large scale "green makeover" jobs that homeowners can undertake with the help of a handyman or local contractors. Industry professionals like these have been adapting their techniques to better serve green goals, so whether you're looking to improve your home's ventilation or to have a geothermal heat pump system installed, you can be sure that there are experienced pros out there ready to help you bring your home into the 21st century.

To join the movement, start with the little things (a pack of CFL light bulbs costs as little as $4 these days) and consider scheduling a consultation with a handyman or home contractor to assess other ways to make your home more efficient and environmentally friendly. SignatureForum and our sister site SignatureContractors are great resources for finding and scheduling appointments with local professionals who offer various green building services. So be proactive and start making a change today. It's not a sacrifice, it's just the right thing to do.

Thanks for Reading

Thanks for reading this month's edition of Signature Forum's Home Improvement Newsletter. We'll be back next month with our second installment in our series on Green Building. Meanwhile, for more home remodeling advice and information on contractors nationwide, we encourage you to check out www.SignatureContractors.com. And to schedule a consultation with a home contractor near you, don't hesitate to Contact Us today.

Until Next Time,

The SignatureForum Staff

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