A planet-friendly trend appears to be taking off around some new thinking in how we use energy.

There are many activities from manufacturing steel to storing data on computer servers that require significant electricity or other power and generate heat as a byproduct. Until recently, much of that heat was considered a problem to get rid of. Data centers use air conditioning to cool server rooms and the furnaces of a steel plant are vented after melting the metal. Now, some organizations are recognizing how that heat can be put to additional use.
Other operations, including steel manufacturers, lumber mills and wastewater treatment plants, are building cogeneration facilities that use excess heat or other waste products to power on-site electricity generators. This reclaimed -- or recycled -- energy helps offset their fuel bills.

That same forward thinking can be applied to your home energy use.

For starters, recognize that while your refrigerator is pulling heat out of one space to keep your produce and milk cold, it is dissipating that heat into your home with the coils at the back. Placing your fridge in a cool spot or a place with decent ventilation will allow you to make better use of that heat on cool days.

Another opportunity is to put your dryer near your water heater so they can absorb heat from each other. The water heater won’t lose its heat as quickly and the dryer won’t have to work as hard to finish your clothes.

Finally, the next time you’re cooking pasta, boiling potatoes or steaming broccoli, don’t dump the water down the drain. Capture that hot water in the sink. That way you can reduce the amount of water you run from the tap to wash the dishes.

Small steps like these can recycle the energy you’re already using for additional purposes. That will save energy and save you a little money.

So the challenge today is to try one of these steps or find another of your own. If you come up with one, share it with THIS SPACE by leaving a comment. Your wallet and your planet will thank you.