We cannot imagine living or performing our day to day task without energy. Energy plays a key role in our comfortable lifestyle. We all need energy for heating, cooking, lighting, running our vehicles and what not.
But our everyday habits could be wasting a lot of energy that costs us money and damages the environment as well. It is important to use the energy in an efficient way. It is equally important to do a comparison of business electricity rates by different providers as that can also save you money.
Why should we save energy at home?
We all have heard that energy can neither be created nor be destroyed. Then, why save energy? Well, saving energy will benefit you, your country and the world. There are various reasons why you should consider cutting back on energy consumption.
Reducing energy consumption will limit the number of carbon emission in the environment which plays a significant role in climate change. Controlling the carbon emission will help prevent natural disasters to an extent.
Also, saving energy will give you a better life. You will get cleaner air to breathe and a healthier planet to live. This will also ensure that the lakes, trees, and animals survive for our future generations to see.
You can also save your money by saving energy. You can reduce your energy bill significantly by cutting back on the amount of your energy use. There is always room for energy improvements, then why not save it?
How can we save energy at home?
Now the question that arises is how we can save energy at our homes? There are endless ways in which you can save energy. Making a few small changes could make a difference to the environment in the long run.
Let us have a look at certain ways which we all can implement in our day to day life to save energy at home.
1. Adjust your day to day behaviour’s
To save energy, it is not a compulsion to go out and buy energy-efficient appliances. You can bring about some basic changes in your behaviour to save energy such as turning off the lights and other appliances when not in use. Try to do certain tasks manually such as hang-drying your clothes rather than using a dryer.
You can avoid using the electric fireplace too much in winters and air conditioner in summers. This will save around half of your utility bill for sure.
2. Lighting
Make sure that your home is not consuming more electricity than you need. You must always switch to Compact Fluorescent light bulbs which are extremely energy efficient. You can also use lamp timers to make sure that the lights and lamps are turned off at night or when you are not at home. To decorate your home, you can use light colored lamp shades which will brighten your room with fewer bulbs. You can buy fluorescent bulb from Runspree.com.
3. Save energy in your kitchen
You can save a lot of energy in your kitchen if you are just a little careful. To reduce the cooking time, thaw food in the fridge first. Try using a microwave which uses less energy than an oven. If you are using an oven, do not open the door continuously.
While cooking, keep the lids on the pot as the food will be cooked faster in this manner. You can also use an electric kettle rather than a stove to boil the water.
Set the temperature of your fridge to 4 – 5 degrees and freezer between -15 and -18 degrees. Place your refrigerator in a well-ventilated area away from the sun to save electricity.
4. Go for energy efficient appliances
You must purchase energy efficient appliances having Energy Star Label which is an assurance that the appliance will consume less energy as compared to the standard models. Though these appliances are a little more costly than the standard counterparts but they are worth buying. For example, using a smart electric fireplace can save so much energy and hence money for you.
In the long run, these will help save your energy and which in turn will save a good amount in your utility bills.
5. Install a programmable thermostat
The programmable thermostats automatically adjust the temperature of your home as per your schedule, keeping it comfortable only when you want it to be. A programmable thermostat can save around 15 percent on the total heating and cooling costs.
You will definitely notice a huge difference in your utility bill before and after installing a programmable thermostat.
How has smart technology helped us save energy?
Smart technology has made it convenient for us to rein in our energy use and cut on the utility bills. They are designed to automatically control devices that affect our heating, cooling and electrical costs such as thermostats, lights, appliances, and electronics.
They will take care of your appliances when you are not around or when you forget to do so. Initially, it was seen as a luxury, but now it is a good strategy to save energy.
Many new innovations are coming up designed specifically with the purpose of saving energy such as the high tech thermostats that automatically adjust the room temperature which you can control on the go.
The eco-friendly appliances, the automated lightings, and other smart appliances have become a helping hand for us to cut back on our energy consumption along with saving money.
Final words
We all understand the importance of energy in our life and why we should save it. We cannot neglect the headlines asking us to contribute towards the environment, adopt a greener lifestyle and save energy.
All of us have to take a step forward to become more energy efficient at our home, work and every other place. We have to understand that we have finite resources which we have to use in such a manner that something is left for our generations to come. We have to save energy to save the environment which in turn will give us a better and healthier lifestyle.
It is no rocket science to understand why saving energy has taken the main stage on the national and world agenda, and there is absolutely no reason for not doing something regarding it.
