Can we save energy at home?
James Hansen, one of the first
scientists to sound the alarm about global warming way back in the 80's,
recently said that the real key to preventing climate change is reducing home
energy use.
How we can make a difference
There are some simple things that we can do in our daily lives that can
contribute to conserving energy. Switching off the light and fans when we leave
a room hardly requires any effort on our part except the effort to remember.
The most obvious energy saving can happen by using ceiling fans instead of air conditioners
whenever possible. However when using air-conditioning becomes necessary each
degree set above 22°C will use 5% less energy.
One particular energy wastage that can be truly prevented is "vampire
power" - the energy that some appliances continue to use, even when they
are turned off. Some serious power suckers include appliances like microwaves
with clocks or other display screens that constantly need power; devices that
are in stand-by mode all the time, like televisions; chargers used for cell
phones, laptops and other electronic devices that supply a charge, even when
nothing is plugged into them. Turning these not-in-use items can cut down your
electricity usage by about 5%.
Home improvement tips
- Turn your refrigerator thermostate down. Refrigerators
account for about 20% of household electricity use.
- Set your clothes washer to the warm or cold water
setting, not hot.
- Select the most energy-efficient models when you
replace your old appliances. Look for the Energy Star Labeled products.
- Clean or replace air filters in air conditioners as
recommended. Energy is lost when air conditioners have to work harder to
draw air through dirty filters. Cleaning a dirty air conditioner filter
can save 5% of the energy used.
- Enable the "sleep mode" feature on your
computer, allowing it to use less power when not in use.
- When using an oven don't preheat or "peek"
inside more than necessary. Check the seal on the oven door, and use a
microwave oven for cooking or reheating small items.
- Start now and don't wait for someone to tell you that
you don't care. Reducing power consumption at home not just makes you an
intelligent citizen, it also rewards you will reduced electric bills. And
all you need to invest is a little bit of conscience.
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