Saving electricity serves to reduce your impact on the environment and to lower your bills. Taking steps to change the way you use appliances and lights and to insulate your home will be the first step towards saving energy.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Don't Neglect Enlightenment
Step 1. After dark, try to turn on the light in only one room and encourage your family to stay inside instead of splitting into multiple rooms
Step 2. Replace the electric lights with candles
Conserving energy means approaching everything that is taken for granted in a different way, like turning on the lights without even thinking about their consumption. Try using candles a few nights during the week to save on electricity and to re-evaluate the importance of controlling consumption. Candles, among other things, create a romantic or fun atmosphere depending on the person with whom you are sharing the evening.
- Start by doing it once a week. Get some slow-burning candles that will last for several hours.
- By candlelight you can tell stories and read.
- Store the candles in a safe place when you are not using them.
Step 3. During the day, use sunlight as your primary source of lighting and reorganize your home and workplace by taking advantage of the sun's rays
Open the blinds and let the light in instead of automatically relying on the switch.
- If you work in an office, place your desk near the window so you don't have to use the lamp or light.
- At home, have your family use the brightest rooms during the day to draw, read, use the computer, and do other activities.
Step 4. Replace incandescent bulbs, which burn most of their energy as heat instead of producing light
Use fluorescent or LED bulbs, which are much more efficient.
- Compact fluorescent bulbs use about ¼ of the energy of incandescent bulbs. They contain traces of mercury, so pay attention to their disposal.
- LED bulbs are more expensive but have a longer life and do not contain mercury.
Step 5. Minimize the use of outdoor lights
A lot of people don't realize the consumption caused by the driveway or garden lights on all night. Decide if you need to not turn them off before going to sleep.
- If you want to leave them on for safety reasons, buy the automatic ones, which have motion sensors.
- Turn off decorative party lights before bed instead of waiting until the next morning.
- Replace your garden and driveway lights with solar-powered ones, which will charge by day and then provide light at night.
Method 2 of 3: Reduce Appliance Usage
Step 1. Decide which appliances you really need
Your first reaction might be "But I need them all!". In fact, you may be surprised at how much electricity you will save and the satisfaction that comes with being self-sufficient. Change some habits:
- Dryer. If you have access to an outdoor area, hang your clothes on a string. Inside, use the clothesline, placing it in the bedroom or bathroom near a window. Can't live without it? Use it once a week instead of doing small loads every couple of days.
- Dishwasher. Make sure you charge it completely, otherwise wash the dishes by hand, trying not to waste the water.
- Oven. If it doesn't run on gas, it requires a lot of energy. Prepare your dishes once a week and store them instead of reheating them often.
- Vacuum cleaner. Use the broom as much as possible, especially between vacuuming strokes.
Step 2. Unplug devices and appliances from the power outlet:
they continue to consume even when switched off. You may not be used to unplugging your computer, TV and audio systems, but give it a try and it will soon come naturally.
- Do not neglect small appliances: coffee machine, hairdryer, phone charger …
- Determine if you really need to leave electric air fresheners plugged into electrical outlets and the lights on at night.
Step 3. Replace old appliances with newer models
Once upon a time, the issue of energy consumption was not taken into consideration, so if you have an old refrigerator, dishwasher, oven or dryer, surely you are using more electricity and paying more money. Opt for Class A models when you go to the store, which are the most efficient ones.
Method 3 of 3: Use Heating and Cooling Efficiently
Step 1. Turn off the air conditioning
Sometimes small sacrifices have to be made, and enduring the heat is one of them. Leaving it on all the time is a waste of energy and money.
- Turn it off when you are not at home.
- Use it only in the room where you spend most of your time. Close the door to keep it cool.
- Refresh yourself in other ways. Take a cold shower during the day, go to the pool or sit in the shade of a tree. Try to turn on the air conditioner for only a few hours.
Step 2. Do not overheat the house in winter:
keep warm by dressing in layers and using blankets.
Step 3. Isolate the house
Do not disperse fresh air in summer and warm air in winter. If you leave a window open, the air conditioning and heating system will have to work harder to keep the temperature stable.
- Call an expert to assess the condition of your home and decide whether to insulate the attic, foundation, attic, and other areas.
- Seal the cracks around doors and windows. In winter, cover the windows with a plastic liner to keep drafts out.
Step 4. Use less hot water
Take short and cold or lukewarm showers, avoid the bathroom, which requires more liters of water. Wash your clothes with cold water.
