When small things come together in a coordinated way, big things happen
In the world of energy, understanding and managing the little things can add up to big savings—reduced costs, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and improved performance.
If one in three people in Canada turned off a light bulb and a computer during Earth Hour, we could drive a Vancouver SkyTrain car around the entire world twenty five times! Imagine the difference we could make if we did that for many hours of every single day.
Some of the most effective ways to conserve energy are also the easiest and don’t cost anything at all!
- Turn off unused lights
- Turn down the thermostat in the winter when you are heating your facility and turn it up in the summer when you are using air conditioning
- Have shorter showers
- Only run the dishwasher when it is full
- Turn off unused computers
- Hang-dry your clothes
- Unplug unused electronic devices that still use electricity while they are in stand-by mode
After you have tackled the no-cost changes, it is possible to make further improvements by investing in energy efficiency upgrades.
- Use Compact Fluorescent Lights
- Fix all leaky faucets
- Use weather stripping on all doors and windows
- Install a programmable thermostat
- Install a hot water tank blanket
- Install motion sensors on outdoor lights
If you do all of the above steps, you will have saved a lot of money on your energy bills. You could then use that money to take on a more ambitious project.
- Install an air-source heat pump
- Replace single pane windows
- Replace old inefficient appliances with Energy Star rated models
- Insulate attics and basements
A lot of little things can make a huge difference so try to tackle as many of these suggestions as you can this Earth Hour and every hour!