Saving energy is a cornerstone of living a greener lifestyle.
Being conscious about limiting energy use will also save you money. There are some common steps everyone should take. Most of these you probably “know” to do but often forget about.Conserving energy is easier than you might think. Here are a few simple tips.
1. Turn Off Lights
Lighting is responsible for about 11 percent of a home’s energy bills. And everyone “knows” that the most energy-saving bulb of all is one that’s turned off. But somehow, that knowledge does not get applied effectively.
2. Replace Incandescent Bulbs With CFLs
CFLs (compact fluorescent light bulbs) are becoming more established in the minds of consumers, and for good reason. CFLs use about 75% less energy than standard incandescent light bulbs, and they last up to 10 times longer. You aren’t stuck with curly-Q shape any more. Now you can buy CFLs for most types of light sockets. Some even work with dimmer switches
3. Turn Off Your Computer and Electronics at Night
Many of us spend so much time on our computers, and check e-mail and other services so frequently, that we never turn the things off.
4. Close your blinds
Window treatments help insulate your home from both the heat and the cold. Drawing the drapes and closing the blinds can lower your energy consumption with the flick of the wrist.
5. Use fans
In the summer, put fans around your house or apartment and turn the AC down. Fans cool people, not entire rooms. A breeze makes the room feel a few degrees cooler. Just be sure to turn it off when you leave the room. In the winter, a ceiling fan is great for pushing hot air down for near the ceiling to where the action is.
6. Unplug
Gadgets like cell phone chargers and microwaves suck energy and generate heat. Keep them unplugged when not in use. Appliances in standby mode typically account for 5% to 10% of residential electricity use, according to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Plug these devices into a power strip that can be turned off when not in use.
7. Adjust your thermostat
An air conditioner uses a tremendous amount of electricity when it runs. During the summer, you can realize major savings by raising the set temperature to 78 degrees For higher so the air conditioner will run less.
Likewise, turn the thermostat down during the winter (as a rule of thumb, every degree you lower a thermostat’s set temperature in the winter will save 3% of energy costs over a 24-hour period.)
8. Watch the refrigerator
It’s a giant energy user. That’s why it should be operated at maximum efficiency. This means opening the door only briefly and adjusting the “Cold” control according to the manufacturer’s directions. Clean the coils to remove excess dust.
9. Turn down the water heater
An electric water heater gobbles up electricity! Crank down the thermostat and save. Obviously, if you have a gas water heater, this tactic will save you gas, not electricity.
10. Let the sun shine
Let Mother Nature help with the energy bills. To increase the amount of natural light that floods a room, bounce it off the ceiling and walls with the aid of louvers or operable blinds (light-toned ceiling, walls and floors work best).