Five Unique Ways to Conserve Energy at Home

By Alena Burns | gargoyle@flagler.edu

Climate change is highly prominent in discussions around the world, from political campaigns to 16-year-old advocates calling us to action. Our Earth is warming up, and it is approaching a point of no return. A study recently published in the Earth System Dynamics journal states that if world governments do not transition to clean energy sources by the year 2035, we will almost certainly pass this point of no return. How can we help out around our home? We all know that LED light bulbs and programmable thermostats are great ways to conserve energy, but what other steps can we take to save as much energy as possible? More importantly, how can we help our planet to keep it at its full potential? Within this article, we will look at 5 uncommon ways you can help the Earth without leaving your home. 

1.Repaint the House

Now, this might sound a little weird, but painting the walls with specific paint is a great way to reduce the amount of energy used at home. If you’re considering a remodel, or simply want to change the color of your bedroom, using satin or semi-gloss paint on your walls is a great way to save some energy. According to the Journal of American Planning Association, this kind of paint reflects the light off of your walls much easier and allows for lightbulbs with a lower watt-level. These save double the energy than using standards bulbs and paint. To see what other advantages semigloss and satin paint have, click here for more information.

 2. Stock your Refrigerator 

While I’m not going to tell you to go out and buy groceries just to fill your fridge, it is statistically proven that a fully stocked refrigerator uses less energy than an empty one. When a fridge is kept fully stocked or close to it, the less it has to work to cool down the empty spaces inside. To maintain this, try getting everything you need in one trip to the grocery store so your refrigerator can stay fully stocked for as long as possible. This will also save you on gas, which saves money and the environment. Click here to find more ways to make your refrigerator more efficient.

3. Invest in Copper-Bottom Pots

Eyeing a new pan or pot set? Check for a copper bottom. Not only are these pots long-lasting and cook food evenly, the copper bottom allows food to heat quicker and evenly while using less energy. They do the same job while quickening the time spent cooking, decreasing the amount of energy used to make a meal, and are not as harmful when disposed. While they are more expensive, they have a long-life span and are an overall better option both for consumption and environmental reasons. 

4. Download Smappee 

What is Smappee, exactly? Smappee is an energy monitoring program that is installed in your home and on your phone so you can track the amount of energy each device in your house uses. It also helps save money as well, as using less energy means spending less money. It promises to help save up to thirty percent of energy consumption around the house, and several customer reviews will reinforce this claim. For more information, visit their website here. For other apps and energy-saver programs, click here. 

5. Put a Water Bottle in the Toilet

This might sound off-putting at first, but this is a great way to save water, money, and energy and helps the environment in the process. By placing a water bottle filled with gravel into your toilet tank, you can save an average of 10-gallons each day. This is because the bottle makes less water fill the tank to its maximum level, so less water is being flushed. For step-by-step instructions on how to properly install this water bottle, click here. 

There are many other ways to conserve energy around your home and in your daily routine. Unplug your devices from wall sockets when they aren’t in use, install dimmer switches in your home to use only as much light and energy as necessary, avoid the rinse and dry cycles in your dishwasher. However, with these quick and unique ways to conserve energy, we can help the environment and our wallets at the same time.