Great Green Idea: Green Energy: 10 Things You Can do to Conserve Energy

10 Things You Can do to Conserve Energy

Over the last couple of decades, world population has been increasing. The trend by which global population is increasing exponentially could potentially mean that there won't be enough energy supply for future generations. This is a concern that has frequently been raised and is presently getting the attention of world leaders.

As time passes, energy sources are becoming scarcer, with many sources already on the verge of depletion. As of 2006, petroleum, coal and natural gas were said to be the 3 primary sources of energy in the world. Renewable energy sources such as hydro power, nuclear power, geothermal and biomass energy were notably trailing behind with very dismal percentages. This means that if we run out of petroleum, coal and natural gas, we would find ourselves facing and energy crisis. Life as we know it would be severely impacted.

For this reason, energy conservation is strongly recommended even among small households. Learning to conserve energy and adapting energy-efficient practices will be advantageous for future generations since this will free them from the risk of running out of energy sources.

Here are 10 things you can do to conserve energy:

1. Keep electronic devices powered off when you are not using them. There is no need to leave things powered on when they are not in use. Many people don't realize that carelessly leaving appliances powered on can consume valuable resources. Your own wasteful practices could actually result in depriving others of this precious commodity.

2. Turn off your lights. Avoid using unnecessary lights if you don't really need them. This is one of the most common and easiest things that people can do to conserve energy.

3. Minimize your use of the clothes dryer.

4. Get energy saving light-bulbs. Although some energy-efficient products may carry higher tag prices, the amount of cash you can save on your electric bills by using these products can actually outweigh the difference in purchase cost.

5. Use traditional methods for cooking such as a gas range or oven. Electric ranges and microwave ovens can consume quite a large amount of energy if used on a day to day basis. So switch to other heat sources for cooking.

6. Use your air conditioning system only when necessary. This is one of the most important points because air conditioning and internal heating systems should be carefully regulated. You can limit your use of these items by setting the temperature only at an acceptable level rather than going extreme.

7. Regulate your refrigerator use. Refrigerators can be regulated and set to use less energy, so try to go through your usual manual to learn how you can increase the energy efficiency of your refrigerator. Do not overstock your freezer since this can cause your fridge to work harder and consume more energy.

8. Take short showers, save water and check if your water heating systems use electric energy. If it does, use the heater only when necessary.

9. Take advantage of daylight hours. By concentrating your tasks to hours where you can still make use of natural light, you will effectively use less electric light at night, and therefore save plenty of energy.

10. Use your dishwasher only when it is full. There is little point in using the dishwasher unless you are using it at its maximum capacity.