There are many different ways to reduce your household’s energy use, ranging from simple changes in your daily habits to extensive home improvements. Mindful energy usage at home comes with two significant benefits, it lowers the utility bills and protects the environment. However, increasing energy efficiency goes beyond using less energy. It requires an awareness of how energy is used, realizing how it’s wasted, and how we can use it more effectively and efficiently in our everyday lives. Here are some great tips to help your home or business save energy and become more sustainable.

Adjust your day-to-day behaviors

Energy conservation can be as simple as turning off lights or appliances when you do not need them. Small changes to how we use energy, such as turning down the heat on the thermostat in the winter and using air conditioner less in the summer, can potentially have a huge impact on lowering your utility expenses.

Plan your daily meals ahead

Planning your upcoming meals around what’s already in the fridge will give you a chance to freeze the excess food and save it from going bad. For example, you can freeze fresh produce and leftovers, including freshly made takeout dishes. It will help you avoid food waste, save money, and have delicious dishes in your freezer for later. Here are some tips on how you can use leftovers effectively.

Spend less time in the shower

Take shorter showers. If we each reduced our shower time by one minute, together we could save so much water. Try to opt for a shower instead of filling the tub; a 5-minute shower will always consume less water than a bath.

Careful in the kitchen

Recycling paper, plastic, glass & aluminum keeps landfills from growing. Buy minimally packaged goods. If you use a dishwasher, stop rinsing your plates before you run the machine. Don’t peek in the oven while baking! Every time you peek, the temperature can drop 25 F, making your oven use more energy to bring the temperature back up.

Switch them with sustainable ones

Replace old appliances with energy-efficient models and light bulbs. Clean or replace all filters in your home regularly. Dirty filters make your system work harder and run longer than necessary.

Sources:

https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/takeaction-retired-link/

https://www.directenergy.com/learning-center/25-energy-efficiency-tips