April 22 is designated as Earth Day every year. This observance began in 1970 as a result of a senator’s efforts to bring awareness to the nation concerning pollution. Earth Day was supported by the Republicans and Democrats, leading to the United States Environmental Protection Agency. This, in turn, led to many laws passed to restore and support the global environment.
Five decades later, there appears to be another resurgence of environmental awareness telling us to Go Green. To Go Green means that your lifestyle is environmentally friendly, and you make wise decisions that preserve natural resources. Did you know there is a way to use your smart home security system to Go Green and support Earth Day all year? Let’s consider the different ways your smart home assists your efforts.
Temperature Control
One of the biggest steps you can make for energy efficiency is putting in a smart thermostat. This device sees to it that energy gets used only when it is necessary. You can program it to run at a comfortable temperature when you are home and set a schedule for it to adjust when you are sleeping or out of the house for the day. Did a window get left open? A smart thermostat recognizes this and will turn itself off to avoid wasted energy. The best part is your ability to make temperature adjustments on your smartphone before you even arrive home.
Smart shades or blinds work well for keeping the hot sunlight out. Keep your house cooler by programming your blinds to close when the sun starts pouring in the windows and open back up when it’s cooler.
Lighting Up Your Home
Another big energy user is the lighting in our home. Cutting back on this energy usage is not as hard as you may think, and every little bit helps. Many smart homes use smart light bulbs. These LED bulbs have internet capability, which allows them to be scheduled and managed remotely. They have unique features such as changing the brightness or even the RGB color. However, the important part is LED energy-saving usage.
Energy savings with smart light bulbs occur in many different ways. A good way to do this is to team them up with motion sensors. That way they turn on when someone enters the room and then turn themselves off when they sense there is no longer activity. One point to note, however, is that smart light bulbs do not work well with dimmer switches. If you use a regular LED or another standard bulb the dimmer will still provide savings if you use it. Motions sensors are also a good idea for your outside lighting. Rather than leaving on a light all night long, they would only come on if there is activity detected close by.
Watering the Lawn
Smart irrigation systems are meant to improve your watering coverage while conserving water. Smart technology makes them capable of monitoring the weather and adjusts the watering schedule. They can even avoid wasteful water runoff by scheduling shorter watering times. These sprinkler systems have the ability to become your own personal lawn care expert. Along with your lawn, your water bill will thank you also. The EPA even offers rebates for water conservation products.
Because this irrigation system is a smart home addition, it allows you to manage it remotely through an app or your home virtual voice assistant or smart speakers. No more watering the lawn in the rain or running outside to turn them off.
Going Green Made Easy
Supporting Earth Day shouldn’t be a once-a-year effort. Today’s environmentally conscious person puts into daily use as many things as they can to lessen their carbon footprint. Due to this awareness, homes are being built to support smart home living. Products are now being more friendly to our ecosystem as far as cleaning chemicals and other home necessities. Fort Knox Home Security has a wide variety of smart home devices that are designed for setting up a household that not only saves the environment but also saves you money too. Find out more by giving us a call today! We can show you how to have the smartest home around.
