Reduce Utility Bills

The green house effect is well publicized. Carbon Dioxide (from exhaling, vehicle exhaust, etc) makes air heavier. When exposed to a light or heat source, it will heat up faster and maintain the higher temperatures longer than air higher in oxygen. This information can be used to reduce utility bills.

In your own little corner of the world, you can clean up the air with your landscaping. Plants use carbon dioxide, converts it to oxygen, and then releases it into the environment.

Here are a few ways to use landscaping to reduce utility bills:

• Around the house have plants that produce shade (especially on south and west sides of the house).
• Use plants with low water needs. Some shrubs and trees may need regular watering for the first two years while they become established.
• Pick shrubs and trees that can be cut back or shed their leaves in the winter so they don’t interfere with the sun warming the house.
• Trees that are used as a wind block should be evergreen to protect from cold winter winds.
• Use mulch or ground cover to slow down the rate soil dries out.

The increased oxygen in the air around the house from vegetation will help maintain lower air temperatures around the house. The shade from shrubs and trees will protect the house from the heat of the summer sun. Harvesting rainwater can help reduce the costs of watering the plants.