You may feel that there are more important things to worry about tan home energy like the economy but the way we use home energy in America is an ever increasing problem. It is something we all need to be concerned about. Statistics show that in the US home energy adds up to approximately 80% of its overall energy usage and 20% of that is wasted.

Did you know that 57% of the oil used in the U.S. is imported? America over the years has become critically dependent on foreign oil. They consume 20 million barrels of oil every day and it is putting profits into OPEC's pockets and pinching their own. It is also affecting the economy and the environment.

The best way to reduce our dependence on foreign oil is to simply use less of it. Energy independence means making changes to how we heat our homes and fuel our cars. Energy independence is America's vision for the future and it is only possible if we begin utilizing new and renewable sources of energy.

Renewable energy sources are sources that are replenishable. These energy sources include but are not restricted to sun, wind, water, geothermal and bioenergy. On the other hand coal, oil, and natural gas are non-renewable as they could never be replenished in a million years. Any of these energy sources can be used to generate electricity, provide heating, cooling, and power vehicles.

One of the challenges of renewable energy sources is their cost-effectiveness. Though some of the renewables are free sources the cost of collecting and delivering this energy can be significant. Even with the staple Hydro energy you must build a dam, generators and transmission lines. The great thing about renewables though is they are non-polluting but the infrastructures to harness and deliver the can have negative environmental impact.

Though we have been talking big picture these same energy sources are available today to the home owner on a scale that can service individual home and thus not require the same impact to our environment.

There are many different products on the market today that use these renewable energy sources to heat, cool and power our homes and there are new ones coming on the market every month it seems.

For heating your home
- Geothermal (water) heat pumps that capture the heat from the earth are very economical at converting it to heat homes and are widely being used. This type of furnace is also able to be used efficiently to cool your home in the summer.
- Solar systems are also being used today to heat homes. These solar systems can vary but they all capture heat from the sun and convert it into energy you can heat your home with.

For powering your home
- There are solar systems that convert the suns energy into electricity. These systems are still not cheap but have come down in cost a lot over the last few years. Not only that but you can build your own system if you are only even a little handy and there are different online sites willing to help you with doing that. It really is a lot easier than it sounds.
- Utilizing wind energy is another choice. Though these systems can be big and bulky today there are small turbines like the Energy Ball that are making turning the wind into electricity doable almost anywhere.

Home energy in America is changing and you should be a part of those changes. You can help America gain its energy independence, save money on energy cost and help the environment all at the same time.