Green living is important to many people nowadays. A particular focus of green living is what is done in the home. Perhaps you have already started to create a greener lifestyle where you live, but what can you do to maintain a green home while you are away from home, whether on an extended business trip or on vacation? Here are some ideas to make sure that your home continues to be green, even when you are not there.

Before leaving, take a little time to do a quick check around the house. Make sure lights are turned off, except for any you may keep on for security purposes. In those cases, putting the lights on a timer will save energy so that they are not burning 24/7. Having certain lights, both indoor and outdoor, on a timer give the impression that someone is home when the lights suddenly turn on. In contrast leaving the lights on all the time makes it clear to anyone who is watching your home that the place is unoccupied.

Make sure your thermostat is set so that heating or cooling is minimized. For heating in the winter months, turn down the thermostat to 55 degrees Fahrenheit. If you are vacationing away from home during the warmer months, make sure your thermostat is turned up to about 85 degrees Fahrenheit. In this way you will not run up a large utility bill heating or cooling empty, unoccupied space.
Unplug all electronics, or if the electronic devices are plugged into a switchable power strip, make sure that the power is completely switched off. Often, I just unplug the power strip to make sure there is no vampire energy drain taking place while I am away.
Dial down the temperature of your water heater to near ambient temperature. I like to set mine to around 60 degrees F. There is no need to keep all that water warm when no one is around.
If you are clearing out perishable items in your refrigerator, leaving it somewhat empty, fill a few pitchers with water and place them in the fridge while you are away. Having a relatively full refrigerator help to maintain the cool temperature with less power required. Cold items actually function as a "cold sink" and help to guard against heat loss.

It is easy to get so focused on planning your getaway that you forget to plan on how best to keep your home energy and water efficient while you are gone. These tips will help you maintain a green home while you are away and will also save you some money.

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