Although Americans make up for just 5 percent global population, they utilize around 24 percent of available energy in the world! Now more than ever it is time to educate yourself on the benefits of using renewable energy for your home so that the ecological (and financial) imbalance in the world can be corrected.

If you cannot afford installing solar panels on your roof, there are other possibilities. Your backyard is a goldmine of resources and you can create your own little fruit and vegetable farm right there. And it makes sense too as these will be 100 percent organic as compared to the products out there.

Of course, if you can spend on one solar panel at home, install one today. Did you know that Tibetan monks in monasteries in India have installed solar panels and use that power in their homes at night? The reason they did this was to be self sufficient, save money on bills and of course do their bit for the environment!

Harvesting rain water is another great idea to save money and depleting natural resources. The average American uses up to 159 gallons of water per day, the rest of the world makes do with 25.

To get information on rain water harvesting, go to the local library, contact your local university and of course, read up on the internet!

If it is doable, you can cut down on using the car and instead cycle to places that can be reached easily on cycle. You can keep in shape, reduce your expenses on car fuel and do whatever you can to reduce smog.

Ranchers in Texas have employed solar panels to pump water in a cost-effective way. They have also started using solar water heaters which have the ability to provide for up to 80 per cent of water needs for a home.

The generation of garbage too can be controlled and further recycled. According to research, Americans consume 815 billion calories in food every day. This exceeds their intake by more than 200 billion, sufficient for another 80 million individuals.

You can also cut down on your consumption of non vegetarian meals or stop eating meat altogether. This will also reduce your grocery budget. Another thing one can do is instead of throwing away leftovers, they can be eaten again. If eating the same food a second time is not your thing, donate it to people in need. It will earn you karmic brownie points as well!

Data on American lifestyle shows that the average person wastes 200,000 tons of good food daily. In the same way, people accumulate over 50 tons of waste by the time they die. The science of Vermiculture can be adopted by every household to reap the benefits of using renewable energy for your home.