October 5, 2022 is Energy Efficiency (EE) Day, but you can practice EE – for free! – and save energy and money, all year long.
Simply put, energy efficiency is itself the most affordable energy resource and accessible to everyone. No matter where you live or work, you can take steps to conserve energy and make a difference, for your household and the planet.
Check out these easy EE tips below, and you’ll be saving in no time. Best of all, they don’t cost a thing!
- In colder seasons, open window coverings for natural light and warmth. Run ceiling fans counter-clockwise to circulate warm air.
- Turn off the lights in unoccupied rooms.
- In the kitchen, don’t open the oven to peek in – you’ll lose energy plus it works harder to raise the temperature back to its heat setting.
- Use the microwave for short reheating and cooking needs.
- Unplug small appliances with timers and always-on features – such as coffeemakers – to save even more energy than just turning it off.
- Air dry dishes instead of using your dishwasher’s drying cycle.
- Wash your clothes in cold water if possible. Wash and dry only full loads of laundry or reduce cycle times for partial loads.
- Unplug personal devices when they’re fully charged – even when charged100%, devices still draw electricity from the source.
- Turn off both the computer’s monitor and hard drive if you're not going to use your personal computer for more than 2 hours.
- Spotlight your workspaces to use only the light you need.
- Lower the temperature on your water heater, which might be set to a default 140 degrees, to 120 degrees. Water heating alone accounts for about 19% of a home’s energy use home, according to the Energy Information Administration.
- If you leave the house for long periods of time, turn the water heater off. You don’t need to have hot water in the house when you are on vacation.
Sources: South Jersey Gas; Alliance to Save Energy