It may be easier to just plug in a curling iron or use a heater when it gets cold but this is not always the most energy-efficient way to go about these parts of your daily routine. In fact, in 2013, America’s total primary energy consumption was over 98 quadrillion British thermal units or BTU’s.
On top of this, Americans nationwide rely on electric motors for business, manufacturing, and even just simple tasks such as mowing the lawn, however, electric motors use 45% of global electricity. Similarly, one of the biggest components to global warming via energy is gas. In fact, according to an infographic by CJ Pony Parts, America’s daily intake of oil is 18 million barrels. However, by knowing how much energy you consume daily and ways to reduce energy usage, you can ensure that you are not part of the problem but rather a part of the solution.
Related Post: 5 Energy Efficient Ways to Stop Ruining Our Earth
I don’t use that much energy, do I?
Now, you may be looking back on your week and thinking about how much energy and electricity you’ve wasted and perhaps you think it’s honestly not that much. However, to put this into perspective for a moment, America wastes more than half of its energy yearly averaging out to $130 billion a year.
With this being said, America has become the world leader in wasting energy and for obvious reasons. However, by learning some of the ways to reduce your energy consumption, you can turn those daily routines into an effective fight for a quality cause.
4 simple ways to save energy in your home.
Although the statistics do not lie, there are many ways to reduce your energy usage that can actually save you money in the process. Despite the countless effective home energy efficiency tips out there, below are some of the basics to get you started and on the right path to complete home energy efficiency.
Cooking
There are all kinds of energy efficient recipes online that can get you started on the right path towards energy-saving meals. Of course the most eco-friendly way to eat is to eat raw food, but if this is not your cup of tea, we recommend reducing the amount of cooking/frying/baking time and if you must use the oven, try cooking as many dishes all at the one time. To power an oven can use a lot of energy so it pays to use it efficiently.
Some people worry about whether energy efficient cooking is possible on a budget, however, the answer is yes. By choosing recipes that are quick snf cheap as they are efficient, you can get the most bang out of your buck without the electricity bill to match. Think pasta, stir frys, egg noodles, soups and even pizza.
Lighting
You may not realize it, but, by keeping your lights on when you leave the home, you are significantly wasting energy. In fact, even the type of light bulbs you choose may actually affect your energy usage likewise. However, a lot of people worry that energy efficient bulbs cost more, but by learning how to save money with energy-efficient lighting such as LED lights and solar outdoor lighting you will pay less and help out the environment in the process.
Replacing bad habits
It’s hard to change habits, but each day there are many opportunities to make a better choice. Today for example when you wash your hair, instead of choosing to blow dry why not allow your hair to dry naturally. Instead of leaving the lights on in a room, turn it off. And if you have children or housemates, why not encourage them to do the same thing so that your household is saving money, as well as the environment.
Invest in solar power
If you have the funds, why not invest in solar panels? Installing solar panels can help cut your dependancy on non-renewable energy and remove any feelings of guilt for energy consumption. If this is out of the question, why not start with something smaller like a solar batter for your smartphone and laptop?
For more tips on reducing your non-renewable energy usage, we also recommend you read 6 Energy Saving Habits That Could Reduce Your Bill By 50%
