How to Conserve Energy in Your New Apartment

After going through the process of moving to Chicago and being careful to do it in the most eco-friendly way possible, you'll want to conserve energy in your new apartment. You went the extra mile to hire a green moving company and rent reusable boxes from The Chicago GreenBox, so why not step up your game in your new place?

There are many ways to conserve energy in a new apartment in Chicago. Let's look at a few of the top ways to keep your energy bills low and live a more eco-friendly life in a Chicago apartment.

Insulate your Windows

According to an article found on Mashable.com, you can insulate your windows with draft stoppers to help save you money. These can even fit with your overall decor as there's quite a selection of fashionable draft stoppers on Etsy and other online marketplaces.

Windows offer a good source of natural heat in the winter, but they are not always well insulated. Along with using draft stoppers, you can make a plastic cover to insulate your winders even further. 

Replace your Light Bulbs

One of the best ways to conserve energy in an apartment is by changing out your old lightbulb and using ENERY STAR qualified CFL bulbs or even LED bulbs. According to EnergyStar.gov, ENERGY STAR qualified compact fluorescent light bulbs or CFLs use about 75% less energy and last up to 10 times as long as a standard incandescent light bulb.

Buy Reusable Items

It's easy to become a regular consumer using plastic bags, plastic water bottles, and other disposable items. There's a more eco-friendly solution for just about every disposable item. Let's look at a few:

• Plastic Grocery Bags - Replace with Reusable Grocery Bags

• Plastic Water Bottles - Replace with Glass or Stainless Steel Bottles and a Water Filtration System, such as the Berkey or a Britta Pitcher

• Disposable Napkins - Replace with Cloth Napkins

• Plastic Food Storage Bags - Replace with Reusable Food Storage Bags, Wax Covers, and use other tips for keeping foods healthy without plastic

If you're using anything disposable, spend a little time researching an alternative option.

Adjust your Thermostat

If you have the ability to upgrade to a smart thermostat, it will help you conserve energy in your new apartment. However, even without a smart thermostat, you can adjusts your thermostat when you're not home and save energy. A 10-degree adjustment for eight hours per day will save you as much as 15% on heating every year.

Clean your Fridge Compressor Coils

The refrigeration will use about 25% of the energy in an apartment. If you make sure the compressor coils are clean, it can help to keep you from using more energy than necessary. Your energy bill will remain lower because your fridge will be able to run better. 

In addition, make sure you cover your food, check the seal on the fridge, and keep it full with water jugs and other items. According to an article from HowStuffWorks.com, full fridge runs better and will stay colder while using less energy.

There are several other great tips you can use for conserving energy in your new Chicago apartment. If you haven't made the move yet, make sure to hire a green moving company and rent reusable boxes from The Chicago GreenBox. Not only will you be helping the environment, but you will also provide better protection for your belongings with stronger, easier to carry boxes.

Green Ways of Commuting in Chicago After You Move

You've finally made the move to the big city and you did it in the most eco-friendly way possible. With a green moving company, rented reusable moving boxes from The Chicago Green Box, and plenty of other eco-friendly moving hacks, you're ready to live it up in Chicago.

Now that you're settled in your new apartment or condo, you want to continue living as green as you can. One of the key ways you can help the environment is by choosing an environmentally-friendly way to commute to work each day. Here are some of the best green ways of commuting in Chicago.

Chicago Transit Authority

One of the first choices on the list of eco-friendly commuting in Chicago is the Chicago Transit Authority or CTA. This environmentally conscious public transit option works hard to protect the environment while helping commuters get to and from work every single day. 

CTA offers sustainable transportation helping to replace the need for motor vehicle trips, along with reducing traffic congestion on the roads. Also, the vehicles used for rail and bus transportation provide reduced emissions through alternative fuel sources and advanced technologies. 

As a commuter, you can use the trains and busses offers by CTA for a green way to commute in Chicago. They have also established the Bike & Ride program to ensure better bicycle access to rail stations and bus routes.

Divvy Bike Share 

Maybe the best way to commute to work, if you want to be super eco-friendly is through the Divvy Bike Share Program. With stations throughout Chicago, you can join the program and use bikes to get to and from wherever you need to go. 

An annual membership runs $99 and you'll be able to commute via bike to many of the major areas throughout Chicago. With more than 570 stations and over 6,000 bikes available across Chicago and Evanston, Divvy offers the ultimate solution for the eco-friendly commuter.

You can even use Divvy Bikes to connect to the train or bus station of your choice making your commute both eco-friendly and fast.

Pace Vanpool

A rideshare program offering larger vans to transport 5 to 13 people at a time, Pace Vanpool is offered all throughout Chicago and surrounding areas. You can use this rideshare program for commuting to work, the airport, or anywhere you need to go. 

While a rideshare may not be the greenest way to commute in Chicago, sharing a vehicle does help lower emissions. If you live near other people working in a similar area as you, a regular rideshare with Pace Vanpool may be the perfect solution.

By Foot

Of course, if you can walk to work, you will have the best option for a green way of commuting in Chicago. Walking to work is the dream for many people living in Chicago. If it's possible, walk to work whenever the weather cooperates.

After moving to Chicago, you have plenty of options to make your daily commute eco-friendly. Whether you choose to commute by bus, train, bike, rideshare, or foot, you'll be doing your part to help preserve the environment.

What is the Importance of Eco-Friendly Products?

You want to use the best products for your family's health and you need those products to be effective. It doesn't matter much if a product claims to be eco-friendly if it doesn't do the job it was designed to do.

There was a time when you didn't have to label products as eco-friendly because nearly everything was already made from natural substances. Today, with all the toxic chemicals found in products, the importance of eco-friendly products has never been bigger.

What does Eco-Friendly Mean?

When a product uses the label of eco-friendly it is meant to communicate that the product can be used without harm to the environment. However, just because a product is labeled as eco-friendly doesn't mean it's 100% eco-friendly in every single way.

It's possible for the actual product, such as a cleaning solution, to be eco-friendly, while the packaging isn't. It's important to understand the differences and check products for eco-friendly packages, as well as natural ingredients.

How to Know if a Product is Eco-Friendly

Several types of labels will tell you if a product is truly eco-friendly or just using a claim of natural ingredients as a marketing ploy. Many companies confuse consumers by offering natural products or products made with natural ingredients. These types of labels don't guarantee the product is eco-friendly.

Some of the labels to understand include:

• USDA Organic - This seal is used on food and cosmetics for products that are actually organic.

• Energy Star - A label used for electronics and appliances showing the product will provide energy-saving benefits.

• Green Seal - Used on cleaning products, if it has the green seal, it's an eco-friendly product

• Forest Stewardship Council Logo - This logo is used for eco-friendly wood and paper products.

If the product doesn't have one of these labels, it likely isn't eco-friendly.

Benefits of Eco-Friendly Products

Sometimes, consumers don't buy eco-friendly products due to the cost. They may seem more expensive, but many of these products last longer and offer several benefits over other products, such as:

• Lower Costs

• Sustainable to the World

• Healthier Living

• Better Quality of Life

• Recycled

• Reusable

• Lower Maintenance

• Cost-Savings on Energy Bills

Of course, the main benefit is the ability to save the environment. With the right eco-friendly products, you can move forward with confidence knowing you're not causing any harm to the environment.

Most Common Eco-Friendly Products

There are several common products you can find in an eco-friendly version, such as:

• Appliances

• House Decor

• Grocery Bags

• Toilet Paper

• Clothing

• Toys

• Reusable Moving Boxes

• Cleaning Products

• And More!

When you use products, such as reusable moving boxes, you will help to keep the environment from becoming harmed. Any damage you can avoid to the environment is a good thing. Plus, many of these products are better for your health and provide several other benefits, as well.

If you plan to move soon, make sure your move is eco-friendly with the help of the experts at The Chicago GreenBox. We will help you pack your goods without needing to waste a large number of cardboard boxes.

Three Smart Home Devices to Help You Live More Eco-Friendly

When you want to make a difference, living more eco-friendly is a good start. Trying to find small ways to decrease the impact you cause on the environment helps everybody take a step forward.

Smart home devices have made it easier to live a more eco-friendly existence. You might already go without plastic straws, use your own grocery bags, and skip the disposable water bottles, but there's more you can do for the environment.

With so many smart home devices becoming more affordable and more common, it's now possible to make greener choices at home. Technology may have a negative impact on the planet in some ways, but using less energy through smart devices can help.

Here are three of the best eco-friendly smart home devices you can use to live a greener existence.

Smart Thermostat

The easiest way to make your home more eco-friendly and use less energy is with a smart thermostat. This is by far the best smart home devices for saving energy and living more eco-friendly.

With a smart thermostat, you can save energy by letting it learn your daily habits. It will adjust the temperature accordingly so you're not using energy when it's not necessary.

Imagine if you walked out the door in the morning without changing the thermostat. Then, you come home after a long day of work and your home feels comfortable, but you used energy to heat or cool your home the entire time you were gone.

With a smart thermostat, you won't have to worry about wasting energy to cool or heat your home when you're gone. It will adjust when you're not there to ensure you don't use nearly as much energy as you do with a traditional thermostat.

Energy Efficient Light Bulbs

Did you know as much as 17% of the carbon footprint caused by a home comes from lighting? http://www.apo-tokyo.org/publications/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2012_Sep-Oct_p4-5.pdf

Smart energy-efficient light bulbs give you the ability to reduce your lighting use and your carbon footprint. When lights are on and nobody is home, it's a waste of energy. In addition, using standard light bulbs requires more energy than new, smart LED light bulbs.

With the right energy-efficient light bulbs gives you the ability to turn your lights off from a smartphone app. If you forget, you don't have to wait until you arrive home to stop using energy with your lighting.

Smart Outlet Monitors

Are you wondering which appliances use the most energy? With a smart outlet monitory, you can track the amount of energy used by appliances and other plug-in devices. These plugs will also allow you to turn your appliances off and on with a voice assistant or from a smartphone app.

If you want to reduce your energy usage, finding out how much energy each device uses helps.

These three smart home devices will help you live a more eco-friendly existence. It's important to think about the environment with everything you do from moving with Chicago Green Box to outfitting your home with the right smart home devices.