Energy Conservation Tips

BE ENERGY-SMART!  

While Cooking:
1. Match the size of the gas ring to the size of the saucepan or you will be paying to heat air.
2. Put a lid on saucepans, so the contents heat quicker and you use less energy.
3. Pressure cookers and steamers are more efficient and allow you to cook several different foods on one ring.
4. Microwaves use less energy than ovens.  

Electrical Appliances:
1. Don’t leave appliances like TVs, stereos, PCs and cordless phones on standby mode.
2. Unplug equipment once fully charged - e.g. mobile phones, shavers, batteries and electric toothbrushes - otherwise they keep drawing electricity.
3. Buy high quality appliances with Energy Star ratings. Cheap, generic appliances may appeal to the impulse buyer, but they use energy less efficiently and will cost you more money in the long run in terms of utility bills and the cost of repairs and replacements.  

Refrigeration:
1. Avoid leaving fridge doors open. Each minute the door is open takes three minutes of energy to cool down again.
2. Avoid putting hot or warm food straight into the fridge. Allow it to cool first.
3. Defrost your fridge regularly to keep it running efficiently and cheaply. If it seems to frost up quickly, check the door seal.
4. Keep the fridge in a cool room. Set temperatures accurately: Fridge 5°C; Freezer 18°C.  

Washing machine and dishwasher:
1. Wash on the low-temperature programme.
2. Try to have full loads when using the washing machine and dishwasher.  

Tumble dryer:
1. In sunny weather, dry your clothes outside and enjoy the fresh smell that only comes from line-dried clothes.
2. If you have to use a tumble dryer, don’t put very wet clothes inside. Wring them out or spin-dry them first.  

Lighting:
1. Keep window ledges clear of clutter to get the most daylight in your home. Pull curtains back during the day and keep plants trimmed so they don’t block incoming light. Keep bulbs and shades clean.
2. Turn off lights when not needed.
3. Dimmer switches reduce consumption and help create the lighting effect you want.
4. Fluorescent lights use less electricity than ordinary bulbs.
5. Energy saving light bulbs use 80% less than ordinary bulbs, and last ten times longer.
6. When away, outside lights can be arranged to come on automatically, instead of being left on permanently.
7. Light-coloured walls, ceilings and floors, as well as mirrors, reflect daylight, making maximum use of natural light.