With the current world population of 7.9 billion people, the need to conserve energy for a more sustainable future is more important than it’s ever been. We can use renewable resources such as solar and wind power, recycling, composting organic waste, and attempting to burn a little less coal or gas to change our lifestyles in order to use less energy.
The sooner we start taking these actions, and make the changes, the more energy we will have available for generations to come. Here are four simple steps in which one can help to conserve energy within the home.
Take Control of Your Thermostat
The use of an efficient thermostat can reduce the energy consumption in a building by over 30%, but it is important to know how you can take control of your thermostat in order t0 try and conserve energy.
There are many ways to save energy with a thermostat. The first way is by setting the temperature at the right level for your home. An increase on the thermostat of just 3 degrees Celsius (5 Fahrenheit) will lead to an increase in heating/cooling energy consumption by at least 10%.
So, the recommendation is to try and keep it around 22 degrees Celsius (72 Fahrenheit). Plus, turning off your heating or air conditioning whenever it’s not needed, for example at night, or when you’re not home, as it’s literally a waste of energy. Some energy providers allow us to manage heating/cooling remotely via an app, which is a good way to keep a track of your energy usage.
Say Goodbye to Outdated Appliances
There are three ways in which to conserve energy by replacing outdated electrical devices in our home. You could consider replacing old refrigerators, stoves and dishwashers with newer, more energy efficient models. Replace standard light bulbs with smart bulbs, or LED lights, to reduce energy consumption via lighting. You can also utilise power strips for computers and TVs, which stop devices from being on standby mode when not in use.
Consider Diverse Energy Sources
Some traditional forms of energy include coal, oil, gas, nuclear, biomass, solar power and geothermal Diverse energy sources like these are ideal because they can provide us with a range of different types of fuel for different purposes, all year round.
Coal is commonly used to produce electricity for homes and businesses, whereas oil is often used in the transportation industry or as a heating fuel. Geothermal provides us with hot water for our homes, whilst solar panels help generate electricity through the sun’s power, and is an excellent source of renewable energy.
Monitor And Control Light Levels In The Home
Lighting is a major component of the electricity in the home. It is estimated that in the US alone, households spend around $4 billion on lighting each year – that’s a lot of energy consumption. So, monitoring and controlling light levels in the home could be a great way to help reduce energy use, whilst also helping to save money.
It is difficult to reduce the amount of energy we use in our day-to-day lives, but it can be done, and any swaps we can do in our homes, will make a difference, so have a look and see which swaps can be done in your home, to play your part in reducing energy consumption.