Lighting and general energy saving tips

Lighting

  • Turn off lights in areas not being used.
  • Open curtains in the morning, rather than turning on the light.
  • Paint rooms in light colours, as this aids reflection of available light.
  • Use desk or standard lamps where most light is needed, so less lighting is required in the rest of the room.
  • Clean lamps and fittings – over time, dirt build up reduces light output.
  • Use fluorescent tubes, they use a quarter of the electricity consumed by ordinary bulbs and last around eight times longer.
  • Light dimmers save you money and can extend the life of incandescent lamps.
  • For security lighting, install time, motion or light sensing switches.
  • If you have a skylight, ensure it has been installed properly with a diffuser at the bottom to ensure light is evenly spread.

General appliances

  • In winter, ensure electric blankets are turned off at the power point when not in use or during the day.
  • Consider using timers for aquarium lights and pumps, in order to cut down on energy consumption without affecting the health of the fish.
  • Ensure your computer's energy saving standby mode is turned on to reduce energy consumption while not in use for short periods of time.
  • TVs, DVD players, computers, stereos and game consoles still use energy in standby mode. When not in use, switch these appliances off at the wall.
  • Devices that require recharging will continue to draw power after charging. Turn the charger off at the power point and disconnect the appliance as soon as it is fully charged.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How to water recycle

Image
Wastewater reuse On-site wastewater reuse can reduce water use in both urban and rural households. At present, most homes use potable (drinkable) water for practically everything in the house and garden. We are literally flushing our drinking water down the toilet! The articles Reducing water demand, Rainwater and Outdoor water use also have information on reducing potable water use. Opportunities to reuse wastewater and regulation of its treatment vary according to where you live. Urban households typically have a connection to a centralised, or reticulated, sewage system, whereas rural households manage their wastewater on site. Check with your local council or state health authority for advice on the regulations in your area. Two types of wastewater are created in a home: greywater and blackwater. Greywater is wastewater from non-toilet plumbing fixtures such as showers, basins and taps. Blackwater is water that has been mixed with waste from the toilet. Because of th
Read more

8 simple ways to save money

money is just getting started. It can be difficult to figure out simple ways to save money and how to use your savings to pursue your financial goals. This step-by-step guide can help you develop a realistic savings plan. 1. Record your expenses The first step in saving money is to know how much you’re spending. For one month, keep a record of everything you spend. That means every coffee, every newspaper and every snack you purchase for the entire month. Once you have your data, organize these numbers by category—for example, gas, groceries, mortgage and so on—and get the total amount for each. 2. Make a budget Now that you have a good idea of what you spend in a month, you can build a budget to plan your spending, limit over-spending and make sure that you put money away in an emergency savings fund. Remember to include expenses that happen regularly, but not every month, like car maintenance check-ups. Find more information on  creating a budget . 3. P
Read more

Tips to ensure pure drinking water

Drinking contaminated water is the number one cause of illness and with the rise in the number of cases of monsoon diseases like cholera and typhoid, it is highly essential that you ensure you are drinking only pure water. During monsoons, the chances of contracting these diseases are higher as water gets contaminated due to water logging, unsanitary conditions, open sewage etc. Eating or drinking unhygienic food and water can transmit the virus easily into your system in turn making you sick. While basics like washing your hands properly before you eat and eating home-cooked meals to avoid infections are important, here are some tips to ensure you are drinking pure, clean water. The very first thing to keep in mind is to drink water that is boiled and filtered. Do not drink tap water as it isn’t potable (safe for drinking). When you go out, carry water from home instead of drinking outside water as you do not know if it is pure or not. If someone is ill, do not drink water fro
Read more