Advertisement
The electricity we use has a huge real-life impact on the environment, as we have it to blame for a big percentage of greenhouse gas emissions which are directly influencing/accelerating the change in the climate. The sheer environmental impact an individual makes depends on how much electrical energy they use.
For example, the average American uses double the energy of his European counterparts. If Americans reduced their energy usage to the level of Europeans, it would be something like keeping 200 million cars off the road on a yearly basis (imagine what a positive impact that alone would have on the environment). But that is only a thought to start with, the whole world could greatly reduce the amount of energy they spend with a couple of simple tips and tricks.
Use Solar Energy
Switching (at least partially) to solar energy means using pure, renewable, and clean energy from the Sun. The initial cost of installation may be pricey, but after that, there will be close-to-none additional expenses. By connecting the solar panels on your roof to your house’s electrical wiring, your appliances will switch to solar energy whenever they start producing it, hence reducing the amount of non-renewable energy you spend and cutting down the total of your energy bills. You can get a great offer for professional installation of these panels with skylinesolar.com.au, one of the best-rated solar companies. Also, have in mind that the technology behind these solar panels is always evolving, making them both cheaper to install and more efficient in terms of energy production.
Take Advantage of Shade
Do you know-how during those summer days the room temperature in your house wildly increases? That’s because the direct sunlight coming through the windows has a great impact on the inside temperature. A great trick is to keep your blinds/curtains closed during the peak hours of warm months as it will prevent them from heating up. This also works during the cold months, where you can keep your blinds closed when you’re not at home or during the night so reduce the amount of warm air ‘escaping’.
Great Insulation = Great Efficiency
Having great insulation will prevent air from leaking out of your home through the windows, outer walls, and doors. If you’ve done a good job insulating and sealing all those leaks, you’ll have a better-regulated temperature in your home, meaning relying less on heating/cooling appliances. This means you’ll use less electricity, so you’ll save some money on that energy bill and also have less of an environmental footprint.
Switch to Energy-Efficient Light Bulbs
Replacing those standard light bulbs with compact fluorescent or LED bulbs can greatly reduce the energy you’re spending. Although they are more expensive (the initial cost) they will last longer than the standard ones and operate with much less energy, so they will definitely save you some money over time. Another tip you should consider is installing light dimmers, as they can both help you further decrease energy spending and give you a chance to set an atmosphere in your house by having more control over the lighting.
Install Smart Power Strips
Most of your appliances are never truly powered off, they just go into standby mode when you switch them off, but keep spending some amount of energy. While it is a significantly lower amount, it can add up over time and is simply unnecessary, so getting and installing smart power strips can solve this problem. You just plug your devices in these power strips and they will cut off the circuit whenever the device plugged in isn’t used.
Reducing Water-Heating Expense
A lot of electricity we spend goes on water-heating, both for showering and for doing the dishes/laundry. The hot water heaters are one of the leading energy consumers of all the appliances in your home. You can save up on energy and money by turning on the water heater after peak hours, during the night. Also, doing the laundry with cold water is just as effective as hot water with modern laundry machines. As for the dishwasher, you should also try to use it more overnight than during the day, and only turn it on once it’s fully packed. These couple of changes in how you use your appliances can have a great impact on how much you spend over time.
Changing your routines slightly and taking some time to make your home more energy-efficient will be one of the greatest decisions you’ve made. You can save heaps of money on the electricity bill over the year, and the planet will thank you for it, so it’s a win-win situation.