Introduction
Going green is not limited to what you consume and support in the community, it can also be applied to the way you do things at home. Many tips and tricks have been circulating since everyone has started to slowly be more environmentally friendly and conscious about the way they exhaust energy. Although turning off the lights when not in use seems like a minor thing to do, it does add up to a substantial amount when done over some time. By getting electric quotes beforehand, saving electricity, and reducing the usage of electricity at home, you can lower the total amount of money spent on energy bills significantly. The reduced amount of energy used will also influence the demand for polluting fossil fuels to drop.
Effect of Energy Efficiency
Currently, electricity consumption is still a significant concern when talks about the environment arise. Most of our electricity is generated from the consumption of fossil fuels, oil, natural gas, and coal. All these tend to be sourced from the ground below, requiring drilling and mining for their collection.
The requirement of having coal-fired power plants to generate energy will contribute to the emission of greenhouse gases. The electricity that is generated from coal-fired plants fuels daily activities that happen in the city. However, it also accounts for up to 30% of carbon dioxide emissions globally.
Saving Energy Is Still Crucial
It is still important for countries and people to save energy even though there has been cleaner electricity being generated by countries like the UK. There has been steady progress in generating clean electricity in the UK, with up to 40% of its electricity being generated from renewable sources. Following in its footsteps there is the US, with up to 20% of its energy being generated from renewable sources.
However, even with the advancement in generating energy via renewable sources, there are still times when non-renewable power plants are required to meet the demand. This can be seen during colder months when people require more energy to heat up their homes, as well as warmer months when homeowners will turn on the air conditioning to reduce the temperature of their homes.
By conserving energy in our homes, we can contribute in our own ways, playing a part in reducing the amount of electricity being consumed. As such, we are also reducing the demand, and reducing the amount of pollution via emissions.
Tips For Homeowners
Energy-draining Appliances
One fun fact is that electronic appliances use up to 75% of their electricity consumption even when it is switched off. By going around your house, you will bound to encounter some appliances that are plugged in yet not being used. All these appliances although not in use will still continue to drain a small amount of electricity while being on standby.
Some ways to recognise if an appliance is drawing electricity is through the standby setting or locating a little light that glows while it waits to be activated. To conserve energy, it is advised to pull the plug out from the switch.
Install Smart Power Strips
Although unplugging and turning off the switch is a simple task, there will be times when we forget due to our busy schedules. Another way to prevent wastage of energy from leaving our appliances plugged in will be the use of smart power strips.
With a power strip installed, it can be configured such that it will stop electricity from flowing to appliances when it is not in use. Some models of the power strip allow the user to set timers such that they will turn off after a certain amount of time. This setting allows the user to adjust the time such that it will turn off when they are sleeping or at work.
Use Large Appliances Together
Most appliances these days are marked with the energy-efficient logo, but that does not mean that every user does not consume a significant amount of electricity. To reduce using too much electricity, it is good practice to use it once, such as consolidating laundry so that it has a full load.
Using Cold Water
Warm water should be treated as optional unless necessary. Reducing the usage of warm water will help in saving energy as the washing machine does not have to use more electricity to heat up the water.
Avoid Using The Dryer
Instead of putting the dryer into use, look out the window and access the weather first. With a strong sun hanging above our heads, it will help in drying the laundry and save the amount of energy that would have been used in running the dryer.
All About Lights
The most straightforward way to save energy would be to turn off any lights that are not in use. To further reduce the consumption of electricity, install light bulbs that have higher wattages and reduce the number of bulbs that are present in the room. Instead of having two to three light bulbs with 60 watts, it is more efficient to have one 100-watt light bulb.
Another way to keep up the energy-efficient lifestyle would be the use of energy-efficient light bulbs. Some examples of such light bulbs include compact fluorescent lamps and LED light bulbs. The compact fluorescent lamp uses up to 80% lesser energy compared to regular incandescent bulbs.
Insulation
Bad insulation can cost the household to increase its energy consumption both in the form of heating as well as cooling. Some houses consume up to 20% of their total energy just to make up for the heat that is lost through their attic. Therefore, it is important to ensure that the house has the proper insulation to prevent unnecessary heat loss during winter and to keep the heat out during summer.
For homeowners that do not have an additional budget to repair insulation, there are always tutorials online on how to fix insulation for some DIY work.
Conclusion
There are many ways one can take to keep up with conserving energy. It is easy to consume energy as and when we like, but to conserve and reduce consumption would require good habits and constant self reminders. It might be information overload for some, but taking small steps towards saving energy is better than not doing anything. Do not worry about not knowing what to start doing, everyone starts off somewhere. Your first step in saving energy can simply be to turn off any lights that are not in use or remove the plugs on any appliances that are not in use. Keep going as we all play a part in reducing our energy consumption.