How to save electricity at home
We all learned about the renewable and non-renewable sources of energy in school. However, the world has never really paid much attention to the consumption of the non-renewable sources of energy until recently. We're now faced with an energy crisis and none of us remain unaffected anymore. Should we leave everything to the governments, or can we do something to save power? The answer is simple: we absolutely can!
The following are tips to help us all save energy at home
Computer: More often than not, we don't switch off our monitors even after we have shut down our computers. Keep the monitor and the computer switched off when you are not using them. Use a power strip to power down all your computer components when you're finished using them.
Air Conditioner: Set the temperature at the minimum or maximum you're comfortable with, depending on the season. Programmable thermostats can be used to vary temperatures up or down when you're not home and are an excellent investment!
Washing Machines: Have you ever done laundry when you only had a partial load, simply because you wanted the laundry to be done? Minimizing the number of loads you wash can save a lot of electricty.
Light bulbs: I'm sure you've seen compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs being advertised. As a power-saving measure, I would recommend that you start using the CFL light bulbs as much as you can. Yes, they're more expensive than regular incandescent bulbs, but the benefits of the CFL bulbs will prove much more cost-effective in the long run by the amount of energy they save and how much longer they last.
Television: Unplug your television set when you're not using it. The television is using a small bit of power even when it's not turned on. It's a small amount but every bit helps.
Hot water heater: Keep the hot water heater thermostat at the minimum heat. Also, if you don't need hot water, don't turn it on! I have to explain to people that when you turn on the hot water to wash your hands or whatever, you have to run out all the cold water in the line before the hot water gets to you. You use it for a few seconds then turn it off. Now you have a line full of hot water that will likely sit there and get cold. Simply a WASTE!
Refrigerator: Allow hot foods to reach room temperature before placing into the refrigerator. Also save electricity by taking cold or frozen food out of the refrigerator or freezer well before cooking, thereby saving energy in heating it.