Posts Tagged electricity bills
What to Do About Energy Hogs
Energy hogs can be found throughout most homes! Take a walk through your house and you’ll probably find energy hogs in every room. In your living room, your television is an energy hog. In your office, your computer is an energy hog. In your kitchen, you’ll find many energy hogs-your microwave, refrigerator and maybe your oven.
EnviroCitizen.org considers these appliances energy hogs for two reasons:
1. They require a large amount of energy to operate.
2. When not in use, they still draw energy. Energy hogs are problematic because the large amount of electricity that is required to operate them comes with a hefty carbon footprint.
After researching all of the energy that these appliances require, some of us living eco-friendly lifestyles might be inclined to unplug these appliances forever. However, that’s not really practical in today’s society. Even the most devout environmentalist still has modern needs. Environmentalists still want to keep their organic hummus cool in the refrigerator and watch nature documentaries on their televisions.EnviroCitizen.org has found that being an environmentalist and striving to reduce your carbon footprint can be possible, even with the use of appliances!
The key is to use these appliances in an intelligent manner. When you’re not using appliances, unplug them. This may seem like it won’t matter much, but it actually makes a big difference! By unplugging appliances—your television, computer or microwave—you are preventing these energy hogs from drawing electricity when you’re not using them. People who have gotten into the habit of unplugging electronic devices and appliances when not in use tend to see a substantial savings every month on their electricity bills. Though this savings may seem small to some, that money represents energy that was not used, which further translates into carbon that was not emitted into the atmosphere. When you think about it, it makes sense.
Another way to combat energy hogs is to upgrade your appliances to more efficient versions. Old refrigerators require up to 70% more energy than newer models. Energy Star appliances are great because they are as energy-efficient as current technology allows. You can upgrade practically every appliance or electronic device in your home to a more energy efficient model. Energy Star certifies refrigerators, dishwashers, clothes washers, cordless phones, DVD players, audio systems, televisions and computers.
Though all of this may be an initial investment of effort and/or money upfront, EnviroCitizen.org encourages you to think of it as a long-term investment into the future.
Tags: carbon footprint, electricity bills, energy hog, energy hogs, nature documentaries
New consumer electronic products are environmentally less damaging
The awareness about the environmental degradation has dawned on the humans rather late. But, the human race will have to make some compromises with their lifestyles in order to give a ‘liveable’ future to the generations ahead. Use of computers and internet has been a single most important development in this regard. The ability to transfer any type of data within seconds from one part of the world to another using these has eased the pressure on the environment. The people no longer have to travel from one place to another burning the fossil fuels and degrading the environment. They have set up home offices obviating the need to travel.
The invention of power saving devices like the CFL bulbs and tubes and other items of consumer electronics has not only reduced your electricity bills but has also gone a long way to reduce the exploitation of power generating resources like the coal, natural gas, petroleum etc. The power-saving innovations have also been introduced in the display devices like Monitors and Desktop PCs. These have become more flat and consume less power. Further, the miniaturization and compactness of the computers has resulted in the coming up of energy saving laptops, tablet PCs and Notebooks .
The newer inventions in the field of consumer electronics is a determined effort of the part of large corporations to prevent or, at least reduce, the harm being done to the environment. The concept of home office combined with the modern day eco-friendly devices and accessories is expected to reduce the pressures of degradation. The use of multi-functional printer, email facility and other soft forms of keeping the data has reduced the consumption of paper considerably. This, in turn, has prevented large scale deforestation for making pulp and paper by being an effective alternative.
While making these electronic items, the manufacturers never lose sight of the element of design, features and looks of the PCs. Quite naturally, if the items are not attractive enough for the customers to buy or do not have the desired functions then the eco-friendliness in itself is not a solid buying criteria. Therefore, you will come across the news items of the competitors (like, HTC Vs Apple) in a product segment (iSlates) vying for greater market share, praising their own products tirelessly.
The incorporation of newer technologies in consumer electronics is not limited to the main devices or gadgets only. It is also being extended to the supporting accessories and the wired and wireless transmission technologies. From new age, fast speed data transfer Netgear adapters to the HDMI connecting cables, the impact of new technology has been far reaching and all encompassing.
It is, therefore, not wrong to say that the full and vast range of products in the consumer electronics category has seen major technological interventions leading to the creation of environmentally sustainable products without compromising on the user-friendliness and usability aspects.
Tags: consumer electronic products, electricity bills, environmental degradation, large corporations, pulp and paper
Sustainable Building Practices Are A Must
Many changes have graced the building industry over the last seven years. Sustainable building practices have been put into use and the building industry is moving with the times to create homes that are environmentally friendly. Things like solar power with back to grid technology has been implemented to help minimize the impact on our environment. This is just one of the few building practices being used. These days, it’s all about protecting our eco-system for future generations to come. The building industry is leading the way with their innovative designs and environmentally friendly building practices.
Included in house designs are things like timber frame which takes less energy to produce and clay bricks which are used in the construction process. Acrylic insulation is built into the roof and the walls. Acrylic is used because it doesn’t make you itch or scratch the way other insulation can. To help lower rising electricity bills, the insulation is built in to the roof and walls. Roofs that are lighter in color, help to reduce the amount of heat that is conducted through the house keeping it much cooler. Tinted windows also help to lower the costs involved in cooling your home. Back to grid technology in solar power is also installed as well as solar hot water systems. All construction scraps are now recycled and if there is an existing building that needs to be demolished, then the materials recovered are also being recycled. All of these things are now considered as standard building practices and instrumental in reducing the drain that electricity places on the environment. Water tanks are now also being kept standard to help reduce the need for chlorinated water. Tank water certainly tastes much better than chlorinated water.
Professional house builders exert great effort in finding alternate materials to build homes with. They strive to build homes that lower the negative impact on our environment. By applying all these standard building practices, they have more than met the goal for sustainable building practices.
The building industry is continually finding ways to build smarter and to build in an environmentally friendly fashion. Our eco-system now needs help more than ever, so the more we find ways to minimize the impact, the better. It is now time to preserve what is left of our environment and its resources for future generations, by building with products that protect and conserve it.
Tags: clay bricks, electricity bills, hot water systems, solar hot water, solar hot water systems
It’s Easy Being Energy Efficient
Did you know that “conventional electricity from the supply grid currently produces the largest amount of C02 of any energy source per unit of energy used, except in Tasmania where most of the electric power is sourced from hydroelectricity?” Given our reliance on electricity, it certainly gives us a bit to think about in terms of our own usage and our wish to make a personal difference to the plight of the planet.
So, what does it actually mean to “go green?” How can an individual implement new approaches and more sustainable practices in the home and office? There are so many ways we can convert words into action, if we are informed and educated about new green technologies and new green approaches. Developing energy efficient life approach is just one way of contributing to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions as well as reducing your energy bills considerably. Envirosafe Solutions offers some easy tips and ideas to help the average householder and business on their way….It all about action….
Envirosafe Tips to Increase Your Energy Efficiency
Install solar power panels on your roof.
Replace old light bulbs with new energy efficient “smart” bulbs. Think about CFLs (compact fluorescents) which use 80% less energy and last up to ten times longer than normal bulbs.
Turn off light switches and power points before bed. Your electricity bills will reduce dramatically and you will also be slashing your household’s CO2 emissions.
Don’t hesitate to have a home or office assessment done. Sustainability assessments involve a specialized consideration of your approach to power use, water use, refrigeration, cooking and can be done in a couple of hours.
When replacing appliances, source energy efficient versions and brands. Appliances actually account for around 30% of a household’s energy usage. Make sure to source brands that have an Australian energy rating label with lots of stars! (The more stars…the greater the efficiency.)
When replacing your refrigerator, be sure to purchase a size suited to your lifestyle and your real needs. A big, bold empty fridge that has lots of empty shelves for a couple or a small family, might look great but it will cost a lot more to run.
Front loader washing machines are known to be more water and energy efficient. Consider replacing your old top-loader with an eco-friendly front loader.
Consider insulation. Insulation prevents heat loss in winter and obstructs heat gain in summer.
TURN OFF THAT DRYER and hang the clothes outside! Did you know that a run of the mill clothes dryer actually contributes up to 3kilograms of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere with every load that is dried?
Buy clothes horse and have an undercover drying area for rainy days.
Cut down on draughts in your office and/or your home. Did you know that blocking draughts around windows and doors can cut your energy bills by a massive 25%?
When cooking, think twice about using the oven. Ovens chew up energy at an alarming rate. Consider a fan-forced oven which uses less electricity, or if possible, switch to electric fry pans and even pressure cookers.
Check seals on your oven and your fridge
Don’t continually boil water unnecessarily
Remember to use a toaster as opposed to a stove or oven griller. Toasters use far less energy and are also more convenient!
We hope you enjoy these practical tips and can put them into action…soon.
And lastly of course, source Environmentally Friendly Liquids for safety household and industry products that are less harmful to the planet, such as those produced by Australia’s very own Envirosafe Solutions.
Tags: co2 emissions, conventional electricity, electricity bills, greenhouse gas emissions, solar power panels