The common definition of a "Green" product is one that doesn't destroy earth-bound materials such as trees or natural gas or pollute the environment in any way over its complete life, including its disposal. Recycled materials are considered Green if no new material had to be processed to create it. Read on to learn some Green guidelines.

Let's look in to the way that the environment plays into heating and cooling systems. First of all, heating and cooling systems that run off of natural gas or propane are using fossil fuels, therefore they are not considered Green. Secondly, heating and cooling systems that run off electricity might be considered green, but not necessarily. Green wind energy that gets fed into the power grid, and if you choose to power your heating and cooling system with this option, it is considered green heating and cooling energy. Call your heating and cooling contractor for more details.

Geothermal Heating
Geothermal Heating is considered green, because you are using the earth's natural heat to warm your home. States like Colorado and Utah have an abundance of hot springs, so it's easy to have a geothermal heating system if you live in these areas. A geothermal heating system consists of pipes running a few feet below the earth's surface to a hot spot underground. The sub-soil temperature averages around 63 degrees depending on your geographical location. These pipes heat up and send hot water to the home and warm the air. They do just the opposite in the summer months to cool your home. This method is considered GREEN, because it does not require gas, oil, or wood to run, plus geothermal heat pumps require very little maintenance. Good news! Call your residential heating and cooling contractor for more details.

Solar Heating
Solar Energy can be broken down into two different styles, Passive Solar Heating and Active Solar Heating. Using the sun's ray, you have an unlimited source of super clean energy. A few decades ago, solar panels were pretty expensive, but today you can find them online at a very reasonable price. The way they work is that solar panels take in the sun's energy, store it, and transfer it into usable home energy. Setting up your solar panel system is a pretty big job and quite an initial investment. Definitely call your local heating and cooling contractor to get advice. Once the solar energy system is in place, the energy is very clean, cheap, and green.