Happy St. Patrick's Day! In honor of the occasion, today's blog is all about "going green." Although last week we showed you how to decorate your home in the cool-tone hue, now we'll show you how to save energy within your house. Check out some of our helpful tips below:

• Don't use plastic water bottles: Instead of drinking water from a disposable plastic bottle, switch to filtered water. Placing an aerator on all household faucets can cut your annual water consumption by 50 percent! Also, be cautious of how frequently you use large appliances, such as your washing machine and dishwasher since these items can burn a lot of energy and waste water. 
• Invest in custom curtains and drapes: Window coverings are one of the easiest ways to save money and energy within your Milwaukee home. These fixtures help to retain heat in the winter and block harmful UV rays in the summertime. Essentially, they can cut the cost of your heating and cooling bill.
• Switch to reusable shopping bags: "Each year, Americans throw away some 100 billion polyethylene plastic bags — from grocery and trash bags to those ultra-convenient sandwich bags," writes Ann Archer of MSN Real Estate. "Unfortunately, plastics are made from petroleum — the processing and burning of which is considered one of the main contributors to global warming, according to the EPA. In addition, sending plastics to the landfill also increases greenhouse gases."

For more home tips be sure to follow our blog or stop by Bazaar Home Decorating Center for our selection of stylish and energy-saving curtains and drapes.