Saving Electricity

Being conscious of the amount of electricity a person uses and how they can reduce the amount of electricity they use can have quite an impact on the carbon emissions created by its use. Here are some tips on how one can save electricity:

•Turn off the lights when possible.
•Don’t leave the televisions turned on when not in use.
•Turn off computers when they are not in use.
•Wash your clothes in the bathtub with cold water rather than using the washing machine. This will save electricity that is used to operate the machine and heat the water.
•Hang clothes to dry outside on a warm day or on a line in the basement. Dryers are an incredible waste of electricity.
•Keep heat turned down to a minimum on cold days and wear a sweater. There 0are also cute sweaters available for dogs and cats that keep them warm.
•Minimize the use of air conditioners and only purchase ones with a high efficiency rating.
•Put extra blankets on the bed for more warmth. Dogs can also be a great foot warmer when they sleep at the bottom of the bed.
•Keep filters on air conditioning and furnaces clean.
•Time the showers. The less hot water used, the less energy is needed to heat water.
•Hand wash dishes and let them air dry.
•Try to avoid using the oven or stove for cooking food. In many cases, smaller appliances are more efficient with the amount of electricity they use.
•When using the stove, use the elements that fit the pots and pans. Using an element that is too big wastes electricity.
•Use glass or ceramic dishes when cooking in the oven as they transfer heat to the food more efficiently.
•Cook more than one meal if possible when using the oven as this will mean the oven is used less and more energy will be saved.
•Unplug electronics when they are not in use. Even when they are off, they continue to consume electricity.
•Purchase the new energy saving light bulbs. They are bright, last a long time and use less electricity than the traditional incandescent lights.
•Paint the walls lighter colors so that more light is bounced around, which makes the entire room brighter.
•Insulating windows by putting drapes, blinds or shades over them can reduce the amount of warm/cool air that escapes through the windows.
•Let the sun shine in through the window on a colder day as the sun will heat up the room, and open windows that are away from the sun on warmer days to cool the room.
•Replace old windows with newer windows.
•Don’t cover air ducts or heat registers.
•Close doors to rooms that don’t need to be heated or cooled.
•Insulate the hot water heater.
•Shower instead of bathing.

Following these tips to save electricity can help you reduce carbon emissions, reducing your carbon footprint.