7 Simple Ways to Become Energy-Efficient at Home

Apr 9

Climate change is one of the most talked-about topics today. Plans to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions are on the radar like never before. It’s all over the news, and we are constantly reminded of the irreversible effects we are having on the planet.

Although this isn’t news to us, many of us deem the hurdles of becoming sustainable and energy-efficient too steep, as it seems complicated and impractical. But in truth, living sustainably does not actually have to be as difficult as we might believe. We want to facilitate the journey for ourselves and for everyone else as much as we can. In fact, living and becoming more sustainable is a process and not an overnight change. There are many simple ways to increase our energy-efficiency at home. Here’s a list of just 7 of them:

1. TURN OFF UNNECESSARY LIGHTs

If 1,000 people unnecessarily kept the lights on for a couple of hours every day (assuming they use traditional incandescent light bulbs), that would consume enough energy to light up a few homes for an entire year! Being more energy-conscious can be as easy as making sure you don’t leave a room without turning off the lights.

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2. Consider Using FLUORESCENT AND LED LIGHT BULBS

Let’s say you still have the habit of keeping unnecessary lights on - it’s easily something we can lose track of since there are a million things going on in our minds. Make the switch from incandescent to fluorescent or LED light bulbs. Just a one-time switching over of light bulbs would save 18% and 20% more energy, respectively. Incandescent light bulbs not only use more power, but also generate a lot of heat; amounting to almost 90% of wasted heat energy, whereas fluorescent and LED bulbs have what’s called “fins” which basically create their outer shell and work to disperse heat. So, if you do make the switch, you will not only save a lot of energy, but you will also reduce your expenses by an average of 24%-74% annually, depending on daily hours of operation. That’s a lot of dollars!

3. UNPLUG UNUSED ELECTRONICS

This might seem unnecessary, but you would be surprised to know that a lot of the electrical appliances in your home are energy vampires – they consume energy while plugged in, even when they’re shut off. Appliances like video game consoles, desktop computers, coffee makers, and even phone chargers all consume small amounts of energy. Add all these up and you’ll see that they can amount to almost 20% of your total monthly energy consumption.

4. WASH FULL LOADS OF LAUNDRY, AND OPT FOR COLD WATER IF YOU CAN

Doing the laundry consistently is very important, however, make sure you have a full load before you do it. Your washing machine and dryer use the same amount of energy regardless of the size of the load. To add another energy-saving tip, wash with cold water instead. This works best when you use detergents that are specifically-made to work with cold water, and these are equally as affordable as regular detergents.

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5. KEEP YOUR THERMOSTAT AT LOWER SETTINGS ON COLD Days

It might seem necessary to set your thermostat at temperatures above 23° Celsius (or 73° Fahrenheit) in the cold days, but considerable amounts of energy are consumed by doing so. While staying warm is necessary, setting the thermostat at high temperatures isn’t. Blocking up draughts under doors and around windows, letting in the sun, hanging up curtains, and installing double-glazed windows all help insulate your home and prevent heat from escaping. Setting your thermostat at temperatures between 20° and 23° Celsius (or 68° and 74° Fahrenheit) is ideal. And when you’re not at home, make sure you completely turn off your thermostat; otherwise, you’ll be wasting a lot of energy hours at a time.

6. REPLACE YOUR OLD ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES WITH NEW, MORE ENERGY-EFFICIENT Ones

We’re all guilty of having at least one electrical appliance at home that is old and outdated. After all, if it still functions well, why get a new one? According to MIT News, most people are unaware of the amounts of energy needed to run old appliances as well as of the energy-efficient alternatives that are available on the market. Advancements in technology are widespread, even in kitchen and cleaning appliances. Meaning that newer models use less energy to do the same tasks as older models. At first, it might seem expensive to purchase newer, more energy efficient appliances, but it should be noted that this is only a short-term expense. In the long-run, an energy efficient appliance will not only save energy, but will also cut costs significantly. It’s definitely worth the initial investment.

7. THINK ABOUT AUTOMATION SYSTEMS

Automation systems work by automatically controlling the electronic devices in your home; including thermostats, air conditioning systems, televisions, and lights. Motion sensors detect room occupancy to turn lights off when they’re no longer needed, thermostats and air conditioning systems are programmed to keep temperatures at specified levels, and televisions are automatically-turned off when no one’s around. These systems provide you with the confidence to engage in your priorities while being in control of your overall home energy consumption.

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There’s so much we can do to become energy-efficient, and these points are just a drop in the ocean. If every person commits to doing at least one of these, continuously and consistently, our planet will be in a much better place - and so will our wallets! Of course it is easier to hope that everyone commits to making changes. Remember, this is going to be a process and you should be proud of yourself for making efforts towards it!