Tips to Conserve Energy

This is a sponsored post. All opinions expressed are 100% mine.

The environment is becoming a great concern to people now more than any other point in human history. People are constantly thinking about the environmental impact of everything they do in their daily lives. One of the biggest topics that environmentalists talk about is how much energy is wasted by average households. However, there are many simple things that anyone can do in order to reduce the amount of energy that is consumed. There are various energy books you can buy online that teach ways to save energy. Here are some tips to conserve energy and use it in a more efficient manner.

1. Computers

We are living in an age that is dominated by computers. They are an integral part of our lives. If you have a computer in your home, you should make sure that it is always put into sleep mode. When it is in this setting, it will only use a minimal amount of power when you are not using it. The control panel of your Windows operating system contains the power management settings you will need to accomplish this. For people who use a Mac, the Apple menu will have system preferences, under which you will find energy saving settings. You can also set your PC to go into hibernation mode if you have not been using it for at least 30 minutes. This shuts the computer down in a manner that will not require a full restart when you turn it on again.

2. Unplug

If you have appliances in your home that do not get used very often, it is a waste of energy to keep them plugged in day after day. You will be surprised how much having these appliances plugged in adds to your electric bill every month. You most likely have many devices that require charging on a regular basis. Cordless shavers, cordless screwdrivers, digital cameras and smartphones are just a few examples of items that need to be charged. When you are not charging a device, unplug the charger. Power strips are good to use for stereos, home theaters and TVs. Although you might turn them off, they are still draining power.

 

Shut off the lights!

3. Lights

This one may seem like simple common sense, but it is amazing how many people don't do it. When you are not in a room, turn off the light. In offices, lights left on for no reason cause massive energy expenses every year. This has caused many offices to install timers and motion detectors in bathrooms. If no motion is detected in the bathroom for a certain period of time, the lights will automatically turn off.

4. Temperature

The thermostat in your home is another source of wasted energy. Many people turn on the heat much more than they need to in the winter, then they jack up the air conditioning in the summer. If it is a cold winter night, use a few extra blankets and wear a nightshirt and socks. This will prevent you from having to turn on the heat to a high level. In the summer, use electric fans to help circulate the cool air from the air conditioner around the room. You should also know when to use sunlight and when to block it out. In the winter, keep your shades open when the sun is out. In the summer, block the sun from entering your home as much as you can.