Saving Electricity

·       Know how much energy an electrical appliance uses whether it’s a toaster, a light bulb, or dishwasher. The energy usage is stamped in some way on all electrical appliances. Some of these items use energy even when not actively being used. For example, a toaster that also has an electric clock is always using electricity when it is plugged in.

·       Yes, the power used to operate LEDs is not free. Most televisions use power even though you are not watching it. That's because of the convenience feature that allows the TV to turn on immediately when pressing the remote button. Most TV’s have this feature and use a lot of power so that we have the convenience of not waiting for our favorite program to immediately come on at the press of a button. If you turn the TV off at the TV rather than using the remote you will save a lot of energy in a month.

·       If you don’t need to dry clothes in a hurry, hang them up to dry. The fresh scent they acquire from being outside smells good anyway, and you can save a lot of money on your energy bill. If you don’t have an outside clothes line install one or purchase a cloths drying rack. Install a clothes line in the garage or basement for drying clothes on foul weather days.

·       If you haven’t changed your incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) you are dragging your feet on saving energy. Let’s face it, a 20 watt CFL light bulb uses a lot less electricity than a 75 watt incandescent light bulb. The average home can save a couple of hundred dollars a year just by changing the light bulbs.

·       When purchasing appliances look for the energy star rating. Most appliances have energy star rating but not all. If the appliance does not have an energy star rating don’t buy. Even though it may be cheaper in price you will pay for the difference many times over in its energy use.

·       Use a microwave to cook or heat food rather than an electric stove. This will make a big difference on your energy bill. Microwaves cook much faster and more efficiently, and can achieve the same results in half the time of an electric oven. For boiling water or other small cooking save money and energy by doing it in the microwave.

·       There are endless suggestions, information, and sources of information on how to save on energy bills if you care to do a little research. Companies that are embracing the going green phenomena of energy conservation post suggestions on their websites, put them in their mailers, and are happy to share them with you. Take advantage of these small ideas in order to see a big reduction in your bill and energy use over time.