Energy Saving Tips

There are many things you can do to lower your utility bills and use less energy in your daily life. Not only does this save money, but it simply wastes less energy. With a growing human population and a shrinking pool of natural resources on planet earth, it is important to understand the need for less waste. Every time we burn coal for energy we are not only using a finite and limited resource, we are also heavily polluting the world in which we live. By saving energy you are helping to reduce acid rain, decrease air pollution, and slowing global warming. Here are a few easy things you can do to reduce your energy use:

Many utilities offer energy audits An energy audit is the first step to finding out how energy efficient(or inefficient) your house is. Having an audit can reveal many ways of making your home more efficient, and save you money. To have an energy audit performed on your home by a professional, call your electric utility. The advantage to this is that they will have access to expensive equipment such as blower doors and infrared cameras.

Replace light bulbs with compact fluorescents

Compact Fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) use one third of the energy that a normal light bulb does and last up to ten times longer. They are also safer because they create far less heat than an incandescent bulb. Replacing a single 100-watt incandescent with a 32-watt CFL can save you at least $30 in energy costs over the life of the bulb.

Turn down your thermostat in cold climates

If you live in a cold climate one of the best ways to save energy is by simply turning down your thermostat. Whenever you aren't home for an extended period of time or at night when you're in bed, try setting your thermostat to 55 or 60 degrees Fahrenheit. There are also thermostats you can buy that allow you to set temperature settings at different times of the day, so you don't have to reset it by hand each time you leave. Other things you can do are:

• Close heating vents or turn off the heat in storage rooms or other places you don't use very often.
• Replace or clean furnace filters once a month or when dirty.
• Allow the sun to warm your home through south-facing windows by leaving drapes open during sunlight hours and closed at night.
• Make sure heating vents or radiators are not blocked by furniture, drapes, etc.

When you buy appliances, make sure they are efficient

Retail stores are recquired to have information about the energy use of all appliances they sell. Appliances such as clothes washers, dishwashers, refrigerator/freezers, room air conditioners, water heaters, televisions and central home heating and cooling equipment. When shopping for these types of items, look for the yellow Energy Guide stickers for energy consumption information. To find the most efficient electronics, look for the Energy Star logo. This lets you know that the item is significantly more efficient than the average for the same type of product.

Be energy-conscious

One of the biggest things you can do to conserve energy is to remember to turn things off and to be conscious of the amount of energy that you are using. There is no need for lights or appliances to be on in a room that no one is using. Likewise there is no need to keep the temperature in your home turned up if everyone is gone for the weekend. Every time you turn something off you are saving both energy and money. It's really as simple as that.

Driving and conservation

One way to conserve energy while driving is to avoid unnecessary trips in your car. Each time your car is turned on or idles, it is emitting chemicals into the air that contribute to global warming and poor air quality for you and everyone else around you. Another thing to consider is the type of car you drive. It may not be affordable to replace your car, but when you do get a new one pay attention to the gas mileage and size of the car. It is simply impractical to buy a large, inefficient vehicle unless you transport a lot of people or things.