Brooklyn And Beyond: 5 Things You Can Do To Conserve Energy And Resources
August 26th, 2008 by HeatherJohnson
With the summer heat nearly behind us, energy usage will undoubtedly decline over the coming weeks. As fall approaches, however, nature will offer new reasons for our energy usage to increase once again. There is always something more we can do to curb our use of valuable energy and resources. What follows is a list of things you can do to minimize the amount of energy and resources that are used on a daily basis.
1. Use compact fluorescent light bulbs: This is not a new concept, but one that needs to be brought up every once in a while. Standard incandescent light bulbs are inefficient and have a very short life when compared with their fluorescent counterparts. Compact fluorescent technology has gotten better over the last several years and the cost of the bulbs has decreased significantly. Most of the newer CFL bulbs last up to ten times longer and use 75% less energy, while providing the same amount of lighting for your home.
2. Be smart with your windows: Windows can be responsible for 25% to 50% of energy loss in your home. Take a look at your windows. Are they properly caulked? Do they shut completely? If not, ask your building super to fix these problems, or do it yourself. Depending on the weather, open your windows and avoid using the air conditioner or fans, or use blackout curtains to curtail the heat in the summer or prevent heat loss in the winter. Open shades and blinds can also let in natural light, eliminating your need to use lights during the day.
3. Acclimate yourself to the weather: Rather than immediately turning to heating or cooling, see what you can do to acclimate yourself to the temperature in your home without using extra energy. If your place feels hot, remove excess clothing and have a cold drink. In cooler times, put on a sweater or an extra pair of socks and relax with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate. These simple, yet overlooked techniques can save energy and have an inherently comforting appeal.
4. Take a 5 minute shower: Showering is an absolute necessity. However, if you can reduce your shower time to five minutes or less, you can save thousands of gallons of water used per year, per person! This staggering fact might help you realize that you’re not rushing, but helping to do your part to reduce your personal impact upon the environment.
5. Unplug your unused electronics: Most electronics, even when turned off, are on stand-by mode, using up small amounts of power that add up to a lot of wasted energy over time. Take an extra minute before you leave each day to unplug your electronics, such as televisions and stereos. If you have your electronics on a power strip or surge protector, simply switch it off and go about your business.
Although many of these may seem like common sense things to do, we don’t always do what we know is right. If you have already integrated some or all of these habits into your daily routine, let someone else know. Educating others on how to minimize our environmental impact is just another aspect of living green.
This post was contributed by Heather Johnson, who writes on the subject of green and organic shopping. She invites your feedback at heatherjohnson2323 at gmail dot com.
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