Make Saving Energy A Priority!
Although governments and businesses are working together to try and work out ways to assuage the current energy crisis, we can do our bit to help the environment as well. And the best of it is that we can do this with very little effort on our behalf.
The easiest and probably most obvious way is to stop using energy altogether where it's not really needed. For instance, instead of a vacuum cleaner, why not use a carpet sweeper for less troublesome rugs and carpets? If feasible, you can walk to places such as the shop or school instead of always using the car. And when the weathers nice, hang dry your clothes as opposed to using a tumble dryer.
At Home
Look at the everyday things you use and see how you can change them. If you run central heating in your home, you should be fine running it at 68 degrees F, even in winter. Wearing extra clothing can also save on the need for extra thermostat settings. If you do have a thermostat, make sure it's an automatic one, as this can regulate the temperature better.
When the sunnier weather arrives with the summer, instead of using the air conditioner if you have one, close your curtains or drapes instead for an immediate cooling effect.
Check to see what your water heater's set at. Since a lot of manufacturers have a set temperature, usually 140 degrees, when in fact you can have hot water at 20 degrees less, so drop it down a notch if yours is set too high. This will also protect your pipes from being scalded, saving you money by not having to replace your water heater as often.
If you have a dishwasher at home, make use of the booster heater feature to give them a complete wash. Then instead of using the internal drier, let the dishes drip dry on your sink. You can also save energy with both your dishwasher and washing machine, by waiting until the load is full before washing, as well as running your washing machine on as cold a cycle as possible.
In every house, there is a mix of home entertainment gadgets. Things like your DVD player and television, or games console or home computer, should be switched off completely when you have finished using them. You'd be surprised how much energy this simple task can save, as opposed to leaving these products on standby. Computers are especially good as they have power saving features on them, so they can save energy even whilst on and not in use.
Everyone knows how refreshing a shower is, but it also uses a lot more energy than pouring a bath does, so shower instead of bathing where necessary. Even your everyday light bulbs can be switched from standard ones to compact fluorescent ones, which will save you an average $36.00 in energy bills per bulb for lighting alone.
|