Conserving electricity in the house not only help you reduce your household electricity bill, but contribute towards a cleaner and sustainable living space to our true home – planet Earth. While most of us may already aware that fossil fuels become scarcer and electricity is the prime source of energy we use in our day-to-day life, to be more conscious about our power consumption has become something that is inevitable.
Flick the switch, turn the key, press the button and then pay the bill. Multiply that by six billion and you’ve got a picture of energy consumption on Earth today. Set aside those benefits of conventional energy system and how that this system is regrettably depleting our resources, polluting our air and affecting global climate change for a moment. Let’s start contribute a little bit as a single person, each of us, NOW…
Why Conserving Electricity in the House?
Because our house is one of the place we spend most of our time at! Home sweet home, imagine living in a energy efficient green house, and still having a good and healthy lifestyle. There had been many proven concepts and products that not only able to conserve the energy usage but also giving a healthier lifestyle in the market. You may want to check out tools like Google Power Meter or trendy concepts of Archipod for SOHO people mentioned in Better Homes and Gardens | Green Office Archipod.
People power. Just as energy usage or wastage could be huge when you multiply it by six billion people, the savings could be in equal scale. Never think that you are too small to change the world, it all starts with you and me. A sustainable eco system for our children and mankind is not something that could be overlooked.
10 Tips For Conserving Electricity in the House
1. Turn off unnecessary lights, appliances and electronic equipment. Put appliances that don’t need to be left on during the day onto power strips, and turn off the strip when not in use to avoid “phantom” energy drain.
2. Set the air conditioning thermostat to appropriate degrees. Just a few degrees can add up to big savings. (For those observing enough, you may find that most people are wearing jackets or clothing to keep them warm enough just because their office’s air conditioning temperature is too cold)
3. It is important to use conventional materials to block out heat and sunlight during summer months, as it will result in requiring less energy to cool your space. Never underestimate the use of blinds and curtains with black-out panels.
4. Use energy efficient appliances. Don’t buy new appliances instantly, only replace those old one with energy efficient appliances when it is necessary. Do you know that fluorescent light bulbs are more efficient than tungsten ones, and LCD monitors and TVs are more efficient than cathode ray tube (CRT) ones?
5. When it comes to washing, wash only full loads of laundry and try washing on cold or warm rather than hot. Use the dishwasher only when full and rather than heat drying, let the dishes air dry.
6. Minimize leakage. Sealing leakages in the house and in appliances helps to improve energy efficiency. Check the exhaust fans, ductwork, electrical wiring, furnace flues, warm-air registers, windows, electrical outlets, switch plates, etc. for leakages and fix them, if any.
7. Use your appliances in the most efficient way. This not only give your appliances a longer lifespan, but conserving electricity at the same time. For example, allow warm food to cool off to room temperature before refrigerating them, and make sure that you remove all the ingredients at one time when opening your refrigerator to prepare for meals because the more times you open your refrigerator door, the more power you consume.
8. When it comes to cooking and food, try to plan meals that can be cooked in the oven all at once, thereby making use of all of the energy it takes to heat your oven. Try cooking on the grill too as it saves energy and prevents heating up your kitchen (thus requiring more air conditioning).
9. Use the “traditional” ways. Don’t be too rely on modern days appliances just because you are a bit lazy. For example, rather than vacuuming, try sweeping the floor with a broom and mop the floor clean, you not only be able to save the electricity bill but exercise at the same time, keeping you fit and healthy too!
10. Check out more resources on how to improve the electricity consumption to a more efficient stage. You can learn and improve through the internet, the media, and sharing among like minded people.
Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need, but not every man’s greed. If it is good for the environment and better for your wallet, what is stopping you from conserving electricity in the house?