We are all guilty of it no matter how hard we try; I am talking about energy waste.
The average American household now uses 10,908kWh of electricity per year. To put that number into perspective, it’s enough energy to drive the average electric car over 32,000 miles! With all that usage, there is plenty of room for improving everyday efficiency.
I have pinpointed the top four most energy wasteful habits and some simple solutions to counteract them.
PROBLEM 1: Power-Hungry Bulbs
Traditional incandescent bulbs are old news and energy wasters, but they are still widely used in households. These bulbs produce more heat than effective light, and are a drain on electricity. If you are using any of these, you are throwing away money and driving up the electric bill.
FIX: LED Bulbs
LED bulbs use up to 80% percent less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs and can last 25 times longer. Not only do these consume less energy, but they also emit significantly less heat- which improves your home temperatures, too. To top it off, LED bulbs pay for themselves many times over throughout their life span.
PROBLEM 2: Leaving Appliances On
I will be the first to admit I leave the TV blaring or the lights on after I leave a room. It happens- laziness takes over, the simple things slip by and end up costing us extra money. Not to mention 20% of electricity used by appliances is lost, even when they are sitting in standby mode.
FIX: Remote Plugs
Remote plugs are a great solution to this problem, because they allow you to control your electronics without needing to be in the same room. Plug one of these into the wall- and you can remotely control your electronics, lamps- and even holiday lighting. I think we can safely label this one a “life-hack”.
PROBLEM 3: Thermostat Running All Day
Most of the time people set their thermostat to keep the temperature comfortable when they are home, and it works alright. The only problem is the whole time the house is empty (ie. during work hours) your system is continually turning on and off, trying to balance out the ambient temperature. Not only does this waste a ton of energy, but it also jacks up the electricity bill to boot.
FIX: Smart Thermostats
Smart thermostats like Honeywell use geofencing technology to keep your home the optimum temperature when you are present, and save you electricity when you are gone. The best part about this unit is it can actually “learn” your preferences, and adjust the temperature according to past behavior. Factor in the Wi-Fi compatibility with remote access, and you have the ultimate way to stay comfortable while saving energy.
PROBLEM 4: Charging Mobile Devices Nightly
If you are like me, you are constantly on your phone and tablet all day. This drains the batteries pretty quickly- which means every night all my mobile devices are plugged in to the wall charging up for the next day. This continual cycle sucks electricity and adds to your bill each month.
FIX: Portable Solar Packs
Break the outlet dependence with solar tech. These can be used to power up your devices on-the-go, without needing to plug in every night. Leaving the solar panels in reach of the sun recharges the pack- and gives you a mobile power station. Not only are you saving money, but also enjoying more freedom to roam.
ADVANCED PROBLEM: Electric Vehicle Charging Inefficiency
So you took the big step and jumped to an electric vehicle (EV)- kudos to you for going green. But are you still using that Level-1 charging unit that came with the car? If so, chances are you are having to charge for long periods of time, and not maximizing the efficiency of your vehicle. This limits the amount of charge you can reasonably get in between commuting, and hinders your daily range.
ADVANCED FIX: Level 2 Charging
This is the next step in EV charging technology, reducing the number of charges necessary to maximize your car’s efficiency. These stations charge faster than Level-1 units, and allow you to fully utilize your vehicle’s range. Keep your eyes peeled for this technology to become more affordable for home use, as EV batteries develop. Look for Newegg to carry these soon.
The Green Truth
So no matter how green we are, there is always more room for small improvements around the house. As energy costs rise and the tech for efficient products becomes more cost-effective, it will become easier to drop those wasteful energy habits.
What energy efficient tech are you using?
