Saving Energy, Saving Money, Saving the Planet
Energy conservation is the effort made to reduce the consumption of energy by using less of an energy service. It's about making choices and changing habits to reduce waste and use energy more thoughtfully. Conserving energy is one of the easiest, cheapest, and most effective ways to reduce pollution and save money.
Where Does the Energy Go?
In a typical home or school, most of the energy is used for a few key purposes:
1.Heating and Cooling (HVAC): Keeping our buildings warm in the winter and cool in the summer uses the most energy by far, often nearly half of the total energy bill.
2.Water Heating: The energy used to heat water for showers, laundry, and dishes is another major consumer.
3.Lighting: All the light bulbs in a building add up.
4.Appliances and Electronics: Refrigerators, televisions, computers, and other devices all contribute to energy use. A special category is 'phantom load' or 'vampire power', which is the energy that electronics use even when they are turned off but still plugged in.
Simple Ways to Conserve Energy
The good news is that there are many simple things you can do every day to conserve energy. Many of these cost nothing at all.
No-Cost Conservation Tips:
Turn off the lights when you leave a room.
Unplug electronics and chargers when you're not using them. Use a power strip to easily turn off multiple devices at once.
Adjust your thermostat. Turn it down a few degrees in the winter (and wear a sweater) and up a few degrees in the summer.
Take shorter showers to use less hot water.
Use natural light. Open your blinds or curtains instead of turning on a light.
Close doors and windows when the heat or air conditioning is on.
Low-Cost Conservation Tips:
Change your light bulbs. Replace old incandescent bulbs with highly efficient LEDs. An LED bulb uses about 80% less energy to produce the same amount of light.
Weatherize your home. Use weather stripping or caulk to seal leaks around doors and windows to prevent heated or cooled air from escaping.
Use a smart thermostat. These can be programmed to automatically adjust the temperature when you're not home or when you're sleeping.
ENERGY STAR: A Label for Efficiency
When you shop for a new appliance, like a refrigerator or a washing machine, you might see a blue label with the words ENERGY STAR.
ENERGY STAR is a program run by the U.S. government that helps consumers identify energy-efficient products.
Products with the ENERGY STAR label have been independently certified to save energy without sacrificing features or performance.
Choosing an ENERGY STAR appliance is an easy way to make sure you are buying a product that will save you energy and money over its lifetime.