No light. No power. No communication.
We have all become dependent on electricity usage and the privileges that come with it. For example, transportation, warm and clean water, being able to preserve food in the fridge/freezer, entertainment, employment opportunities, and our technological devices within our fingertips.
According to the Cambridge dictionary, ‘Conserve’ is defined as ‘to keep and protect something from damage, change, or waste.’
Conserving electricity doesn’t just save money, but it protects our future too.
Consider the following five ways to conserve electricity:
Use Electricity Only When Needed
Saving money and electricity starts by doing everything in our power to reduce the use of electricity in the home.
For example, turn off appliances at the PowerPoint when it is not being used; dressing appropriately for the weather reduces the urge to use the heater like wearing jumpers, long pants, socks, etc.
You can also decrease the need appliances like the dryer by using natural sunlight to air-dry your clothes, or an indoor clothes rack if it is raining.
The experts at digital marketing agency, Search It Local, provide a unique industry insight with their innovative approach to power consumption, saying “we need our laptops and computers. So there’s no flexibility there. But by using natural light instead of roof lighting, and open windows instead of A/C, we make a commitment to saving power each and every day.”
These creative ways to reduce power usage can be a fun challenge, which becomes much more rewarding when you see how it benefits you financially on your next power bill.
Wash Clothes on a Lower Temperature
Did you know you can typically wash many of your favourite clothes at a lower temperature, as low as 30 degrees? This does not interfere with the end-result quality and can help reduce your electricity usage
This helps reduce electricity consumption as the washing machine decreases its water usage as it won’t need to heat the water to a higher temperature.
The experts at CM Roofing Services say “The only guaranteed way to save money on your electricity bill is to cut down on the amount of electricity you use. Sounds simple, but putting this into practice can be harder than you might think. Thankfully, washing tips like this can make the job easy for you.”
Decrease Air Conditioning Usage
One of the significant uses of electricity during Summer, especially in Australia, is air-conditioning.
This doesn’t mean you have to turn off your A/C for good. Instead, be smart with your air-conditioning usage. For example, close all the doors and windows in your home to trap cool air in and reduce the overall time you have your A/C on.
You can also close curtains or shutters to reduce outside heat.
Use Microwave Ovens Whenever Possible
Using your microwave oven uses less than half the power compared to a conventional oven and can cook and heat meals much quicker.
While most domestic ovens range from around 3 kiloWatts and up, a typical microwave ranges between 700-1200 Watts, making it an electrical saving tool.
Use energy efficient light globes
Changing your old light bulbs to compact fluorescent globes will save the amount of energy used. If you only need a small amount of light, it is more energy efficient to use lamps or spotlights instead of using the main lights.
In addition, by cutting down the usage of main lights, especially for a longer duration, you can use sensor lights to further decrease electricity usage.
The experts at Izco Electrical share an industry insight into why lighting goes beyond your power bill, saying “Modern lighting has the impact of making a home seem more spacious and inviting. This can actually increase the value of your home when it comes to sell, all from a creative and clever use of light.”
Using LED downlights You can even venture into a Solar System or the LED Downlight. These can let you save energy in your homes.
You can take this a step further by adding additional electricity saving devices. This is a tactic used by the team at Pearl’s Creations to saver money. They explain “up to 75% of electricity is used while appliances are turned off. Making cakes means we’re always using appliances. By adding powerstrips we were able to control our use of electricity and save money in the long run.”
Why is it Important to Conserve Electricity?
One of the most vital aspects that leads to change is understanding.
Once we understand why it is important to conserve electricity, our behavioural habits are more likely to change.
Saving electricity reduces energy costs, and it also reduces how much carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere.
This is crucial as energy productivity is a prominent component of slowing global warming. Electricity is usually produced at plants burning fossil fuels and these produce greenhouse gases as well as air, water and soil pollution and damage agriculture.
Therefore, any reduction that we can all do to reduce electricity in the home will reduce the negative impact fossil fuels have on the environment and for future generations.
By spending less time on our electrical devices or technology, encourages children to play outside or be more active, perhaps even join a hobby or sport. This can also benefit couples and families to connect on a deeper, emotional level and strengthen their relationship by being social.
In fact, mental health expert Ilona Knickterlein states that “being socially active can boost our brain health; can lower the risk of dementia, live longer and improve our mental health. And the lighting in our home, electricity we consume, and impact it has on our earth plays no small part in these outcomes”
The benefits of Saving Electricity
There are plenty of benefits that come with conserving energy.
With every choice we make, there are consequences and when we choose to reduce electricity usage, we reap the benefits such as:
- Reducing costs and saving money for families, governments and businesses
- Power plants avoid costly upgrade
- Less pollution and fewer greenhouse gases
- Decreases the possibility of radioactive pollution
- Less Fossil Fuel consumption (a non-renewable resource)
- Saves the environment for future generations
- Helps prevent climate change
- Focus on being physically active instead of engrossed on technology
- Deepen our relationship with our loved ones with our time
So, what are you going to do today to start conserving electricity?
Let us know in the comments!
