Regardless of believing global warming is real, or that it is a fabrication of some sinister mind that wants to get rich by selling everybody green stuff, I think helping reduce energy consumption is a good idea.
Here are a few things you could do right away to save electrical energy:
.- Turn off that TV that nobody is watching!.
.- Turn off the light in the empty room.
.- Install photo cell equiped reflectors and lamps outside of your home. They will turn on at dusk, turn off at dawn automatically. (No programming needed, no battery needed).
.- Install a timer in your electric water heater, or better yet replace it with an “On demmand” water heater such as; http://www.foreverhotwater.com These are also referred as “Tankless” water heaters. Click Here for more info.
.- Run the dishwasher only when it is full.
.- Don’t wash just your favorite socks and pants. Do a full load.
.- Of course, use the clothes dryer with a full load. No, a pair of sneakers you need to impress your girl friend are *Not* a full load. (Teenagers, are you understanding this?).
.- Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs (CFL’s), if you don’t know them yet here is a good place to start:
.- Use LED lamps whevener possible. LED Lamps last even longer that CFLs. They are still in development so prices are high. Right now they are feasible for lighing areas where not much light is needed, (One of its disavantages). In time prices will go down, and power (Lumen output) will increase. Definitely one cool lighting technology to watch. More Here.
.- Replace the air conditioner filter regularly.
.- Insulate your home (meaning, roof, windows, doors, walls).
.- Turn off the ceiling fan in an empty room.
.- Set the thermostat to the highest possible temperature you could tolerate without going insane.
.- Set the heater to the lowest possible temperature you could tolerate without freezing.
.- Install a programmable Thermostat, take the time to program it correctly.
.- Replace old appliances with newer more efficient ones.
.- Replace Magnetic Fluorescent Ballasts with Electronic Ballasts, go here for more info and here for a place to buy them cheap.
To save money on gasoline there are also a few things you can do:
.- Don’t haul in your car or van 2,000 pounds of toys and stuff you may need in case of… just carry the essentials.
.- Don’t carry all the 5,000 pounds of tools you own in the back of the car or van, if you break down, just have the essentials. Or are you going to rebuild that engine in the middle of the interstate?. Be practical!, Just call AAA.
.- Service your car regularly as recommended by the manufacturer (Yes, Oil and filters).
.- Keep the correct tire pressure, on all 4 tires.
.- Don’t run your car with the same set of spark plugs for 450,000.00 miles. Check the manufacturer’s recomendation and have them replaced when needed.
.- Don’t drive with sudden starts and stops, as if you were participating in a drag race.
.- Don’t accellerate unnecessarily when in a stop and with the engine idling, this applies mostly to stick shift cars and guys in big motorcycles showing off their big engines and small brains.
.- Respect speed limits, and use cruise control whenever possible.
If you want more info and energy saving ideas you can find it here in the Department of Energy Website. This site is filled with excellent tips and info and it is kept up to date.
More on this topic soon…