Conserving Energy – At Home and at the Pumps

People are becoming more and more aware of the need to save conserve energy. Part of the reason is that more people are becoming educated on the fact that the earth’s natural resources are limited. Because the earth does not replenish all of its resources, there are some things that will never be recreated once they are all used up. There are several things that you can do to save energy both in your home and at the gas pump. Even the little things go a long way when enough people make them into a habit.

You’d be surprised at how much energy is being sucked out of your wall sockets. By simply unplugging appliances when they are not in use you can save on your energy bill and make better use of natural resourced. Any appliances that you only use occasionally can be unplugged when they are not in use. For instance, a toaster or mixer might only be used once a week or even less frequently. Chargers for cell phones, digital cameras, PDA’s, and other gadgets can be unplugged when you are not using them. Finally, you can use a power strip for your television, cable box, DVD player, and other entertainment electronics. When these devices are not in use, turn off power to them by using the switch on the power cord. Standby consumption of these electronics together is about as much as a light bulb running continuously.

You aren’t the only person that hates having to turn your computer on and off because it takes so long to reload all the applications. There is a more energy-friendly solution to the problem. Most computers come with a sleep feature that uses less power when you aren’t using it. Alternatively, you can set your computer to go into hibernate mode after a certain period of inactivity. When your computer hibernates, you can easily turn it back on when you are ready to use it again. The computer doesn’t have to reload all the programs when it comes out of hibernation. This option is actually more energy-efficient than shutting down and restarting.

Dishwashers, washing machines, and dryers are common household appliances that can use a lot of energy. You don’t have to cut back on using these machines, but using them in a more efficient manner can help save energy. Instead of washing a partial load of dishes, wait a few more days and wash a full load. Doing this helps cut back on the amount of water and energy that is used to wash the dishes. When you are washing clothes, both the water level and temperature play a part in the amount of energy that is used. Make sure you are using the correct energy level and use cold water whenever it makes sense to do so. Clean the lint filter on the dryer between each load. Also, avoid drying heavy and light fabrics together as these dry at varying degrees.

There are also ways you can save energy – and money – at the gas pump. For starters, make sure you are using the right octane level for your car. Your owner’s manual will contain this information. Higher octane does not benefit your car in anyway and only hurts your pockets. Make sure you keep your engine tuned as this can increase gas mileage by 4% or more. You should always have your oil changed every 3,000 miles or 3 months. This helps keep your engine running in top condition. Too much junk in your trunk reduced your fuel economy. Remove items you don’t need from your trunk.

It only makes sense that driving less helps you conserve energy. There are many ways you can drive less. If you have multiple errands to run, do them all in one day rather than spreading them out over a period of time. Your car makes better use of gas when the engine is warm rather than when you drive from a cold start. Carpooling is another option for cutting back on the amount you drive. You can carpool more places than just work. When you’re making a trip to the grocery store, see if one of your neighbors also needs to make a trip. You’ll have a chance to get to know each other better, save money on gas, and preserve a little bit of energy.

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