Energy Conservation Tips - Ways to Conserve Energy

When I was a poor student for years ago I decided once to find out how I could save some money. So I went down to the library and borrowed a book: 400 Saving Tips for Poor Arseholes ( sorry, I don't intend to be rude, but this really was the title of that book! )

I was excited! I mean, 400 tips, there must really be a lot of ways to improve my economic stuation, I thought.

I gave up before even starting. When I sat down, turning the pages, reading a good deal of these 400 tips it was suddenly too overwhelming. Partly because of the huge number of tips, partly because many of these ideas where either unrealistic or too hard to carry out

This is exactly why the title of this article isn't: 400 ways to save on energy. The main part of the human race are creatures of habit. For many of us just 10 changes of our lifestyle would be a challenging task.

So, this article will concentrate on only few, very easy ways to conserve energy. And, indeed, you really can save money by conserving energy! But - just as important - if you are not too selfish: By conserving energy you can probably contribute to the quality of your grandchildren's lives. You may think that your efforts have only little effect when it comes to the huge problem of global warming, but if we want a better future we got to start with ourselves.

The place in which most of us spend most of our time is in our home. So when it comes to changing to a green lifestyle, of course, your bad habits at your home is first of all what you have to concentrate on. In the following paragraphs you will find some energy conserving tips which relate to your everyday living in your house or apartment.

Before you start changing anything in your home you should consider the possibility of having an home energy audit. To have the energy efficiency of your house evaluated by an expert using professional equipment may turn out to be a great advantage. The resistance to heat flow is measured, being strongly affected by the window construction and the quality of door seals. But also the efficiency of mechanical systems such as thermostats, air conditioning and heating may be inspected.

A written report estimating the energy used may suggest which improvements are necessary to save energy. Indeed in many buildings it is possible to save up to 30 percent of the energy by changes and improvements!

This is of course a tricky subject since only few of us are that fanatic that we are willing to move to a more energy efficient building only to conserve the energy we use. But if you are planning to move anyway take this aspect into consideration when looking for a new home.

So-called "green buildings" are designed to save the environment by using energy as efficiently as possible. Some of the means are:

• High efficiency windows
• Insualtion in walls, ceilings and floors
• Solar building design: Windows, walls porches and even trees are placed to shade windows and roofs in summer while maximizing the solar effect in winter
• Effective window placement, reducing the need for electric light
• Solar water heating

Many things are done these years, also on a larger scale. For example an article in The New York Times from April 10, 2012 describes how large American retailers, Mall of America and Wal-Mart, sets new targets of using renewable energy especially by making their buildings more energy efficient. The latter has been painting their store roofs white to reflect the sunlight, thereby reducing the use of air conditions.

There are a lot of energy saving devices to provide, and you should try out a few of them:

• A radiator booster uses a small fan to draw heat from a standard radiator. Distributing the heat better, it will warm the room faster and save lost energy.
• An insulating door draught excluder is one of the easiest improvements if you want to conserve energy. Just slide it under your door and stop chilly draughts. Alternatively you can use a self adhesive brush seal to seal gaps in hinged door and window frames.
• Lighting accounts for about 25 percent of national power generation. With energy saving light bulbs you can contribute to lower that percentage and, of course, save some money for yourself ( more about energy efficient light bulbs below ),
• With an energy meter you can monitor your energy consumption at home. Such a device van be very motivating, as you can easily see how much energy you save by, for example, turning out the light.
• With energy efficient appliances in your kitchen, such as kettles, coffee-makers and toasters you will save even more money ( more about energy efficient appliances below ).
• Install a water siphon pump to reuse your grey water in the garden and avoid waste ot water ( more about water saving devices below )
• With standby savers you easily switch off your electronic devices avoiding waste of energy

Check the wattages of your bulbs at home. In many cases you can save energy and get a lighter room anyway! Look for the lumens of the bulb. The lumens indicate the brightness. The watts only the amounts of power it takes to make the bulb work.

Buy energy efficient compact fluorescent bulbs. Though energy saving bulbs cost more, you'll save money in the long run, using only a quarter of the energy of an ordinary bulb and lasting about ten times longer. Their light is bright and pleasant.

Only 10 percent of the energy consumed by an ordinary light bulb actually generates light! I was myself very surprised when I was acquainted with this fact. Only one compact fluorescent bulb can save large amounts of CO₂.

Use lower water levels while washing. Using cold water will save energy, while being more gentle to your clothes. Likewise, use a shorter wash cycle for your dishwasher.

Upgrade to a dual flush toilet. The water savings are tremendous.

Use a water saver shower head which transform a low water flow to an abundant stream of water. Of course it also helps a lot to shorten your shower!

Use the right pot when cooking. Often we reach out for the large pot when boiling pasta while a smaller one would be sufficient. When using the small one, you will save water ( and energy, as it will heat up faster ).

With a water siphon pump you can recycle the water you used to boil your potatoes or vegetables. Your garden will love it as it has composting qualities. You can also recycle the water you used to clean your vegetables in the same way.

Finally, draw benefits of the weather by installing a rain barrel outside. You can use your collected water to water your garden as well.

One of the most simple changes you can make in your life style when it comes to a green living, is to buy energy efficient appliances. Maybe you got an old electric stove, an old fridge, an old dish washer and the like. Such old machines usually swallow a lot of energy. In the best of all worlds you should replace the whole thing at once. But most of us can't afford that. What anyone can do, though, is to buy a new low energy machine when your worn equipment doesn't work anymore. Ask your local dealer for some good pieces of advice.

Use the energy guide label found on new refrigerators ( and freezers ) to help you buy the most energy saving model. Select a size just large enough for your needs.

Your refrigerator or freezer should be filled but not overcrowded. The air should still be able to circulate freely around your food. Make sure that the door gaskets are tight fitting. Avoid opening and shutting the door more than necessary. Each time the refrigerator og freezer has been opened the compressor has to work harder to regenerate the cool air.

Dust off the coils in the back of your refrigerator 3 or 4 times a year, as dusty coils force the compressor to work harder, and consequently waste energy.

Don't place uncovered liquids in your fridge. They give off vapours which cause the compressor to work harder.

Locate your refrigerator or freezer away from warm air sources such as heaters or direct sunlight.

Finally, a few words on energy efficient heaters, because there are some false myths going around, especially about electric heaters: It is said that electric heaters are 100 percent efficient.

One forgets that most non-renewable energy involves burning of fuel. In this process at best 45 percent of the heat is converted into electricity. So unless your electricity source is solar, wind or hydro energy, it can't compete with for example an air furnace system.

So the truth is that electric heating is in fact the most expensive and least efficient way of heating!

If you want an energy efficient life style there are a lot of things you need to know. Hopefully this article has been able to help you in the right direction. Thanks for reading and leave your comment below if you like.

Related article: What can we do to stop global warming?

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