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