Small Steps to Big Savings
A lot of the time, what is good for you and your finances is also good for Mother Earth. Since Earth Hour is just behind us, I was inspired to do a post about small saving we can make in our everyday lives. Restricting your use of electrical appliances also means lower electric bills. When you walk out of a room, switch off all the electric appliances behind you. When not using the computer, don’t leave it on standby mode, switch it off. Take the stairs and eschew the elevator.
When you have an errand to run take out your bicycle or simply walk, give the gas guzzler a rest. If you must use the car, combine several errands in one and make one slightly longer trip rather than several short ones. Drive steadily, avoiding sudden acceleration and braking, it is less stressful for you and it will improve your vehicle’s fuel efficiency and therefore lower emissions. Tune the engine and the tires inflated to improve mileage. If you are planning to buy a vehicle, buy a hybrid or better still an electric vehicle. Save a bunch and make a style statement all at the same time!
The Energy Policy Act of 2005 rewards you for installing certain energy efficient products, such as solar heaters and photovoltaic equipment. Also properly insulating your home reduces the need for heating and air conditioning, so a onetime expense of insulation can save you a lot in terms of recurrent bills. In fact if you are inclined to wade through pages and pages of energy saving tips, go to Department of Energy site where specific tips for automobiles, appliances and electronics, heating and cooling, insulation, landscaping, lighting and daylighting, summer and winter tips and water heating tips are to be found aplenty!
Use CFLs! They use only about ¼ the energy as traditional bulbs and last up to 10 times as long! I held out against using them for a long time simply because I prefer yellow to white light, but apparently now CFLs are available in yellow tints as well!
If you can, work from home. Cut the commute, both time and money is saved. You have flexible timings and you don’t have to spend on child care!
As for saving water (after all we pay for water too), I am a little fanatical about this and have been known to stop and shut a neighbors’ tap that was gushing water. Fix leaks promptly, take a shower instead of a bath. Don’t leave the tap on when you brush or wash. Wash the car yourself, don’t take it to the car wash and use the bucket, not a hose, so you get a nice stretch and you don’t end up wasting gallons and gallons of water!
There are many more energy saving tips, but these are the ones I have incorporated into my own day to day life, and believe you me, they make a difference. So if reading this has made any of you change your ways, then mine is a job well done! Do let me know through your comments.
Thanks for the energy saving tips.
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Raymond Chua » You are most welcome. We all need to do our bit for the Earth.
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