6 Ways to be Green with Electricity
In today’s world, where energy consumption is constantly increasing all around the globe in a drastic manner, and fossil fuel reserves have started struggling with the demand, it is essential that we opt for ways to be green with our electricity to save energy for our future generations!
Photos By: Unsplash
One primary way of going green is opting for solar energy and installing adequate levels of PV protection for it to have a sustainable source of energy for your household. However, there are also various other ways through which you can be green with your energy consumption that most people aren’t aware of.
In this article, we will be listing all of these ways and how much they affect our energy consumption. Read the article till the end so that you don’t miss out on crucial details.
Utilize Solar Energy
Among the various sources of renewable energy, solar energy is considered one of the best sources of energy out there. This is because while solar energy has substantial installation costs at the start, the returns it provides you over the course of the next few years are more than worth the price.
You’d be surprised to know that installing all the solar panels and their various integral equipment like a reliable combiner box is less expensive than paying off your electricity bills for the next 2-3 years. Solar energy can help you cut down on energy costs and give you a renewable energy source that doesn’t use fossil fuels to provide power to you.
The only problem with solar energy is that it cannot be used during particularly cloudy and dark weather; otherwise, solar energy panels are capable of producing solar energy from the faintest of light sources such as moonlight or dim sunlight through clouds.
Use Energy-saving Light Bulbs and Tubes
With constant progression in the world’s lighting sector, we have come to a point where old incandescent light bulbs have become absolutely obsolete in terms of price, energy consumption, and lighting.
If you are truly serious about going green with your electricity usage, the simplest steps you can take to ensure energy efficiency for your household are switching out all of the old lighting in your house with newer LED bulbs and tubes. They are designed to last longer than any other type of light bulb in the world while consuming less than 3/4th the energy of older bulbs.
This not only helps you save the environment but also helps you cut down on your electricity bills where you can save 70-80% more money on lighting power consumption if you opt for LED bulbs instead of CFL or incandescent.
Make Proper use of Appliances
There are various appliances in our home that get used more than they actually should. Various appliances like washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, etc., consume much more energy in the household than other appliances.
If possible, we strongly recommend going eco-friendly everywhere and reduce the need for these appliances to only the bare minimum usage you need. Don’t use your washing machine again and again for separate batches of clothes. Compile them all together into one pile and wash them together at a normal temperature of 32 degrees celsius.
Eliminate the need for a dryer by drying your clothes naturally in the sunlight using a clothesline or an external clothes hanger. If you need your clothes dried quickly, opt for faster drying options as it dries your clothes dry quicker and consumes a lesser amount of energy in the long term.
Don’t use your dishwasher for small amounts of dishes. Wash them all at once till they adequately fill your dishwasher, and then use it to clean the remaining residues of the plates off. There are various other tips that you should follow with the other electrical appliances in your home that can help you save down on energy costs.
Always opt for Energy-saving Options
Whenever you shop for any electrical appliance that consumes electricity directly from your own power line, make sure you opt for energy-saving options. There is a straightforward way to know this, and that is by simply checking for any energy-saving logo or sticker on the appliance that indicates how much energy it saves.
A higher-rated energy-saving appliance will help you save more energy for your household and also help you bring down the costs of your electricity bill. These energy-saving ratings dictate which electrical appliances are the best choice for you and which appliances will consume more energy than they need without conserving it.
The Golden 3 Rs of Green Energy
No matter what device or appliance it is, always opt for the 3 Rs when using them – reduce, reuse, and recycle. These three rules define the usage of any electronic device and appliance in our household.
Reduce implies keeping the usage of all electronic objects at a minimum whenever possible to reduce their energy consumption drastically to live green. Reuse implies using an electronic device or appliance even after it gets broken by repairing it, unless and until the said object is actually having an adverse effect on your energy consumption.
Finally, recycling implies using broken objects in an alternative way where their components can be salvaged and used.
Switch off When Not in Use
The most important thing you need to ensure as a responsible household owner for going green with your electricity is switching off appliances and electronics whenever possible. For example, when you are not using the TV, plug its wire out and keep it on the side.
Even a turned-off TV that’s still plugged in consumes tiny amounts of energy from the outlet. While it may not seem much in the shorter run, considering all the electronics in our home tend to do the same, you will realize that the effect adds up and results in a lot of electricity waste.
Along with a TV, other appliances and electronics such as a charger or a power connection also consume electricity when connected to the power outlet and switched on even when they are not being used.
Conclusion
There are several ways that you can be green with electricity, and we hope this article was helpful for you in realizing that. If you want to continue opting for green energy, consider following our website for regular updates, as it will help us out immensely.
