| You're probably already doing the simple things to | | | | That has to be worth it. |
| save energy, such as turning things off when you | | | | A Review of Some Energy Saving Tools |
| don't need them, but you might want to make more | | | | If you are already turning out the lights when you |
| changes to reduce your energy consumption still | | | | leave the room, taking short showers while utilizing a |
| further. If so, you're going to need the right tools for | | | | water efficient shower head, putting in your energy |
| the job. | | | | saving light bulbs and insulating your home, then |
| Energy Saving Light Bulbs | | | | perhaps you can skip this article! This article if for |
| These are the environmentally friendly devices people | | | | those who are still a bit shy to the energy saving |
| tend to think of first, and with good reason. | | | | world as it will cover the benefits of doing the above |
| Switching from standard bulbs to energy efficient | | | | mentioned things. |
| ones can end up with you using just a fifth of the | | | | The use of energy saving light bulbs is as simple as it |
| electricity to meet your lighting needs, while the long | | | | gets. These bulbs are environmentally friendly and |
| life of most energy saving bulbs means that they're | | | | can use less than a fifth of the energy traditional |
| more than worth any extra cost. | | | | bulbs use. They are a bit more costly upfront, but |
| Standby Saving Plugs | | | | they do not need to be replaced nearly as often, so |
| If you leave your computer on standby, then it's not | | | | they are, on average, actually less expensive than |
| only wasting electricity, it's also shortening the | | | | the others. |
| lifespan of the computer. Standby plugs work | | | | As for turning off lights and saving energy when |
| intelligently to cut power completely when the device | | | | electronics are not in use, that, too, is simple. A |
| is not in use, along with power to connected devices | | | | simple flip of the switch for one and the other only |
| such as printers or scanners. | | | | requires that you purchase a standby plug. The |
| Low Water Use Kettles | | | | standby plugs work with your computer or other |
| Even if you're careful about not over filling your | | | | electronics (such as scanners, fax machines, printers, |
| kettle, it can be hard to judge precisely how much | | | | etc) to keep them from constantly pulling an |
| water you need to use. Kettles designed with this in | | | | excessive amount of energy. These plugs will |
| mind store water in a separate chamber, and release | | | | completely shut the power off to the devices when |
| only the required amount into the boiling section of | | | | they are not in use. |
| the device. | | | | Taking shorter showers is also easy enough to do, |
| Solar or Wind Up Power | | | | but how about the small ways we use water every |
| Sometimes, you can eliminate the use of mains | | | | day. Have you ever overfilled your kettle? I know I |
| electricity altogether. While it might be a little | | | | have, but that no longer happens to me since I |
| ambitious to cover your house in solar panels, using | | | | purchased a kettle that actually stores the water in a |
| solar power on a smaller scale is both practical and | | | | separate chamber than the boiler section. That |
| cheap. Solar powered chargers will let you power up | | | | sounds odd, I know, but it allows me to select the |
| phones or other devices without the cost or | | | | amount of water I want to heat and will heat only |
| electricity use of plugging into a mains socket. | | | | that amount. This saves water as well as the energy |
| Alternatively, you could make use of wind up | | | | it takes to heat the unneeded water. |
| devices, requiring only a few seconds of effort on | | | | Something that is equally as simple as the kettle is |
| your part rather than a costly electricity bill. Radios, | | | | solar power. I am not talking about surfacing your |
| MP3 players and even battery chargers have all had | | | | roof top with solar panels, but am referencing solar |
| the wind up treatment, so there's the potential for | | | | powered chargers for your mobile devices. Solar |
| big energy savings no matter what you're doing. | | | | powered chargers are inexpensive and require no |
| Dryer Balls | | | | electricity at all to power thing from your cell phone |
| Sometimes though, you just want a very simple | | | | to your MP3 player. In addition to solar energy there |
| solution. They don't come much simpler than dryer | | | | is wind up power (not wind as in the weather term, |
| balls. Put in with your tumble dryer's normal load, they | | | | but wind as in turn). There are items such as wind up |
| cut drying time by up to a quarter, saving all the | | | | radios, wind up clocks, wind up remote controls - the |
| electricity that would have been used in that time. | | | | list goes on and on. Did you know that 30 turns on a |
| Energy Meters | | | | wind up remote control can power the remote for a |
| How much electricity is that? Well, if you invest in an | | | | week? How great is that - no more batteries!! |
| energy meter that gives you an accurate and | | | | Lastly, an energy meter is a great way to start your |
| continuous readout of your electricity use, you'll know | | | | energy efficient quest. These meters can be installed |
| precisely. Often the first step to making savings is | | | | in your home to allow you to monitor your electricity |
| knowing how much you're using. | | | | usage at any given point. It is neat to see how much |
| Whatever energy saving tools you decide on, they | | | | energy your washing machine uses verses how much |
| don't require major changes. Instead, the best of | | | | energy your dishwasher uses! There are countless |
| them let you achieve noticeable electricity savings | | | | ways to save energy and this is definitely not a |
| without you having to alter anything about your life. | | | | complete list, but it is a great place to start! |