The world is facing environmental problems on a scale never before witnessed. As a parent, it may feel like some of those problems are happening in your own home especially when the monthly bills roll in; specifically, for electricity.
The average person can’t do much to help in the face of soaring population levels and industrial-scale pollution, but sometimes the small things can add up to make a substantial difference.
Saving even a little energy around the home can make a significant contribution to solving the planet’s problems add a little wiggle room to your budget around the holidays. If you are looking for a way to save some cash to spend on your bundles of joy and save the planet, here are eight easy ways to do precisely that.
1) Install Dimmer Switches for Lighting
Does the family room need to have lights shining out on full power all the time? Installing and using dimmer switches will let you create a cozy atmosphere as well as cut your energy use.
2) Upgrade Your Appliances
Home appliance technology has powered ahead over the last decade, and modern appliances use far less energy than older ones. Upgrading your fridge, dishwasher, and even your microwave might cost you a little up front, but you’ll soon make it up through lower energy bills.
3) Efficient Laundry
Save your laundry until you have enough to fill your washing machine with a full load. With a family, the laundry probably fills up quick anyway! The power needed to wash a full load isn’t much more than when the machine is only half full.
Also, set the washing temperature to as low a level as possible – a few degrees cooler won’t change the quality of the washing but will save a huge amount of electricity throughout a year.
4) Shower Power
Installing a low-flow shower head not only cuts down your water usage, but it also reduces the energy needed to heat it. Also, tell your family to keep their showers as short as possible, and don’t set the water running before they are ready to start.
5) Careful Timing
Is your heating system set up for maximum efficiency? Apart from in the depths of winter, you probably don’t need to heat rooms you rarely use, and setting your timers to come on strongly just before you arrive home is far more efficient than leaving your heating ticking over on a low setting all day.
6) Stove Sense
A surprising amount of energy is wasted just through conventional cooking. Your oven, stove, and pans all retain a lot of heat once the power has been switched off. Use this lingering heat for the last couple of minutes of cooking, rather than letting it go to waste after your meals are ready and your pans have been removed from the stove.
7) Use Lids on Pans
Water will boil far more quickly if you put a lid on your saucepan during heating. Sometimes the simplest things can make the most difference.
8) Cool Food Before Refrigerating
Putting warm food in the fridge is both inefficient and unhygienic, so always cool leftovers completely before putting them away. You can save energy in the opposite direction too: take ingredients out of the fridge an hour before you start cooking with them. Cooking will be quicker, and you’ll save an hour’s worth of cooling energy.
The pending electricity bill may seem more urgent, then the planet’s environmental problems. But if everyone did a little bit each day to save energy, the future may not be as frightening as it sometimes seems. Not to mention, these are good habits to teach your children as they are the future!
About: Daniel Epega is an environmental consultant serving a wide array of clients in the manufacturing industry. By combining his Environmental Science background with three years of experience in the public sector, Mr. Epega assists organizations in developing solutions that maximize efficiency while remaining in complete compliance with environmental regulations. In his free time, Daniel Epega enjoys yoga, rock-climbing and teaching his family how to save the planet.
