the low down on green living
June 10th, 2008
10 Ways to Save Energy This Summer
Stumble it!
The heat of summer is coming, and that means many of us are about to crank up the AC, make an extra batch of ice, and generally burn energy like it’s our job. But we need all need to continue to try to conserve as much energy as possible to conserve resources and slow the march of global warming. And we get to save money at the same time–woo hoo to that!
Here are the ten things we can all do at home to cut our energy consumption. We start out nice and easy, then ramp up to some extra-credit methods at the end of the list for you Climate Crusaders.
1. Resist the urge to live in a refrigerator. 78 degrees is plenty cool in the house. Turn down the AC and get a programmable thermostat so you’re only cooling the house when you really need to.
2. Air dry your dishes and clothes. The dryer and dish washer use a lot of energy– and the air does the drying job just as well. See some great clothes-drying racks here.
3. Take shorter showers and do not take baths. Hot water heating is one of the major uses of energy in any home. Showers are the way to go– and keep ’em short. Baths use much more water and heat than do baths (unless you’re taking 30 minute showers!).
4. Make sure you have energy-efficient lighting throughout your home. Everyone has heard about compact fluorescent lights by now– but are you up to date on LED lights? Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have come a long way, baby, and they are often 10 times more efficient than compact fluorescents.
5. Ditch the beer fridge. It’s amazing how many homes have two refrigerators. Please do not use more than one fridge. And if you have an old model, get a newer Energy Star model.
6. Use ceiling fans rather than AC. They are much more energy-efficient and you can get very reasonably priced Energy Star models.
7. Get solar screens for your windows. These screens cut 75% of the heat coming through your windows, but don’t impact your visibility. They are really great energy savers. See them here.
8. Plant trees! Placing deciduous trees on the South side of your home is a great way to block summer heat, but keep the sun shining on your home in the winter when you need the warmth.
9. Spend one night each week in candlelight. It’s romantic, fun and inspires new conversation. If you’ve got kids, how about turning off the TV one night and playing a board game by candlelight? Clue would be particularly spooky!
10. Use a solar oven for some cooking. They really work! You don’t want that hot oven on in your house anyway. You can either buy a solar oven, or you can learn to make one yourself. It’s another fun summer activity to do with your kids.
** #11: For the truly hard core, here’s a great tip I learned in Africa. If you don’t have or don’t use AC, at night you can wet a scarf or towel or sheet and lay it on your chest. The evaporative cooling effect will really do the trick for you. Sleep tight!
Comments
Bellen
June 11th, 2008 at 5:44 am
Wonderful ideas. We would love to replace our screens with solar screens or put up window film to control sun on the 5 south facing windows, but we are short on money. However, we do have a partial roll of shade cloth. My husband has installed it inbetween the clear hurricane window covers and the window. By combing this with closing the inside window blinds by 2pm we have greatly reduced the amount of heat coming inside, while still allowing some light in.
Once again, making use of what we already have in a different way than intended we have successfully solved a problem.
PS you did not mention closing curtains and window blinds. I know it’s common sense but that seems to be lacking in some of our neighbors.
mcark
June 12th, 2008 at 12:23 am
the best post in a while! This is why I read these blogs, because I learn things (unlike watching Plant Green). I hate using my AC and I only use to break the heat and then they go off and I turn the box fans on instead. I think another problem is dogs (cats). People are good pet parents and want to keep the house cool but a dog is not a human……the main thing is a good air flow in a house and enough room to breath. I use to worry about my dogs until I came home and saw them under a blanket asleep lol
mcark
June 12th, 2008 at 12:30 am
sorry, forgot to ask a question. Where can I find direction on DIY solar ovens? I have googled it but I can’t tell which ones are legit…..I can’t even hammer a nail without going to the E.R. Thank God, my wife’s family is full of handymen/women.
Jessica Jensen
June 12th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
Hi Mcark–
Thanks for your nice comment! Sorry there is a link in the piece on DIY solar ovens…I just hadn’t activated it properly. Scroll back up and it’s there now. Good luck and don’t hurt yourself!
Jessica
Low Impact Living: 10 Ways to Cut Home Energy Consumption : Sustainablog
June 16th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
[…] Our friends at Low Impact Living point out 10 ways you can save energy this summer. This post was originally published on June 10th, […]
Megan
June 17th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
I tend to shut our curtains and use ceiling fans and that seems to really help keeping it cool on mega hot days. Also keeping the lights off on really hot days helps too. I love drying my clothes outside and/or on drying racks inside-certainly does the trick and keeps clothes nicer for longer.
Which Green Electronics?
June 29th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
These are excellent ways to go green and save energy
Some others to consider are green electronics. In general, electronics, like computers, printers, televisions, telephones and others, make great gifts; however, now, there is a wide selection of green electronics available by all of the leading brands, including Apple, Sony, HP, Panasonic and more.
Green electronics are those which are ENERGY STAR® qualified. ENERGY STAR® is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy helping us all save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices. Energy efficient choices save families about one third on their energy bill with similar savings in greenhouse gas emissions. An ENERGY STAR® product does not sacrifice features, style or comfort.
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