Reduce & Conserve Your Energy Consumption In Your Home

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The best way to embrace sustainable living at this time is to conserve energy where you can.  I’m afraid there aren’t any easy answers for using fuels that are clean and have very little impact on the environment; but conserving energy when you do need electricity or fuel and making smarter choices can help both the environment AND your bank balance too!

There are several choices you can make that will allow you to live in the modern world and still reduce your global impact.  The first step is becoming aware of the energy that you use and analyzing what changes you can make so let’s get cracking on how you can reduce your dependence on energy in your home.

Save Energy In Your Home

Lighting

One of the greatest energy drains on the planet is keeping things bathed in light. Everywhere you go there are artificial lights that run 24 hours a day…. my house is like Blackpool Illuminations in the winter! While it’s great to be able to function at all hours and when needed, having them on constantly definitely takes its toll on the environment.

When it comes to your home or your office, you can do a few easy things to make sure that you’re not wasting more energy than you need and conserve what you can.  First, turn off the lights you don’t need. If you’re not in the room they should be off.  This might seem obvious, but when you begin to take notice you may find that you’re using lights unnecessarily.

You may even want to invest in motion sensor lights that are programmed to turn on and off when you enter and leave a room or that cam be turned off using an app on your phone. This makes it easier for you to save energy without having to think too much about it.

The type of bulb you use can also make a big difference in your energy consumption.  Incandescent bulbs are the kind of bulbs we all grew up using.  However, they use a lot of energy and much of that is lost as heat.

Fluorescent lighting is much more energy efficient.  Manufacturers have been working on ways to make look more aesthetically pleasing and produce a warmer light.  Although these lights cost more up front, they do last a long time and use much less energy.

During the day, be sure to make use of natural light so that you don’t need to use overhead lighting and lamps.  My kids are monkeys for turning on the kitchen light when they come down in a morning because it’s a little dark. It not only warms up the room unnecessarily but it’s daytime outside! Keep your blinds and shades open and make use of the windows in your home.  Before you leave your home, make sure you turn off extra lights that aren’t in use.

Electronics

It’s a world full of electronics from televisions to computers to iPads; unfortunately these days there’s no way to turn back time and become less dependent on this equipment for work and for your home life!  However, you can make some smart decisions when using each and everyone, to minimize your carbon footprint as much as possible.

Energy Save Mode

Next time you’re on your computer set it to energy saver modes.  This will allow your monitor to turn off when you’re not really using it.  You should also turn off or consider hibernate machines when they’re not going to be in use for long periods of time. I’m totally guilty of turning on the Mac to start work at 9am in the morning and then deciding I’m going to work on my laptop!

When you leave the office for the weekend, be sure to turn off the computer.  Many people leave computers worried they’ll miss an update.. it just drains energy unnecessarily.

Unplug Electrical Items

Within the home unplug things when they aren’t in use.  While you may not be using the energy that travels through the cord, they can still drain energy.  Don’t leave items plugged in if you’re not using them – even items such as hair dryers, toasters, and microwaves use energy when they’re not being used. I no longer have any of mine plugged in anymore.

Look For Energy Star Ratings

Next time you buy a large appliance, look for items that have energy star ratings.  These items use less energy to do their job.  Not only will this save energy, but it can also save you quite a bit of money on your utility bills too! 

Heating and Cooling

Most of your monthly energy bill probably comes from heating and cooling your home.  Some people who truly embrace sustainable living choose not to use either be that a fan, air conditioning or heating!  However, you don’t always have to let go of these comforts completely in order to practice sustainability.

Here are a few tips for staying comfortable in the summer without being an energy hog:

• Keep blinds and curtains closed during the part of the day when windows are being exposed to strong sun. I open our windows first thing in the morning but as soon as the sun comes round and starts shining in I close them and the blinds.
• Use fans only when you are in a room – make sure to turn them off when you leave.
• Dress in thin/light clothing.
• Limit the use of your oven during hot parts of the day – cook outside, use the stovetop, crockpot, or eat cool dishes. I hate cooking in the summer so I use the slow cooker. I prepare food in a morning when its cool and just finish it off on the night.
• Use lighter linens for bedding & remove the duvet.

There are also several things you can do in winter to stay warm:

• Use thermal curtains on windows that help to trap heat and keep you warm. Don’t cover radiators with long curtains; the heat will go straight out the window!
• Wear slippers on your feet!
• Add insulation film to windows to lose less heat.
• Block any drafts.

Replace Your Windows

Many people lose A HUGE amounts of energy through old windows.  One way you can help to save energy is to replace old windows with new double glazing insulated windows.  This will help to trap the energy in your home.

While new windows can be a pricey update to your home, over time they’ll pay for themselves in energy costs for sure!

Check Your Energy Provider

Many areas have utility companies that get their energy from green sources such as wind energy.  Research your area and look for companies that offer energy that’s also sustainable. They may have specific green tariffs too.

Home Design

If you’re in the market for a new home, you can also consider sustainable planning.  Choosing the direction in which your home faces, the types of landscaping that you put in place, as well as the placement of windows (if you have a choice!) can make a big impact on energy use.

Make sure that the home you’re building is as efficient as possible with insulated windows, insulated walls, and energy-efficient heating and cooling systems.

Hope this helps and gives you a fair few ideas on how to reduce dependence on your energy usage and conserve energy when you can.

Feel free to PIN to read again later!