4 Affordable Ways to Reduce Energy Consumption

It’s no secret that the world is progressively running out of fossil fuels. It’s predicted that we’ll be out of coal in just over 100 years, which will drastically change the way we use and create electricity.

In the meantime, we can expect to see energy costs rising as our coal reserves become more and more depleted. But don’t worry, we can teach you how to reduce energy consumption without spending a fortune on eco-friendly products.

How to Reduce Energy Consumption Affordably

While there’s certainly nothing wrong with buying hybrid cars, solar energy systems, or eco-friendly electronics, learning how to reduce energy consumption doesn’t have to demand a big price tag. There are even some energy company leaders, like Prabir Purohit pushing to lower rates for consumers. However, there are several things you can do on your own.

Keep reading for our top tips to help you save energy without breaking the bank.

1. Turn Off and Unplug

It’s really easy to rush out of the house, forgetting to turn off one or several lights. Whether you’re running behind or simply in a hurry to leave, try to take a moment to turn off all the lights. 

Additionally, get into the habit of unplugging appliances and electronics while you’re not using them. Just because you hit the “off” button doesn’t mean the appliance isn’t still pulling power.

2. Take Advantage of Your Ceiling Fan

Many people don’t know how to use their ceiling fans to optimize the temperatures in their homes.

During winter months, the ceiling fan can be reversed to spin clockwise to pull cool air up and push down the naturally rising warmer air.

During the summer, the fan should spin counterclockwise to push cool air down and help improve your air conditioner’s efficiency by keeping the air circulating.

The ceiling fan is much less expensive than your air conditioner or furnace and can help reduce costs by supplementing their effects.

3. Use LED Light Bulbs

LED light bulbs have shown to use at least 75 percent less energy than their incandescent counterparts. LED light bulbs are relatively inexpensive and last an average of 25,000 hours each. The average homeowner should have no problem affording the change, even if they replace every light bulb in their home at once.

4. Learn How to Use Windows and Window Treatments to Your Advantage

Finally, during the winter, it’s only natural to want to batten down the hatches, shut the blinds, and pull the curtains. However, you could be losing out on a lot of free solar energy. 

As sunlight penetrates your windows and enters your house, it puts off incredible amounts of heat. The atmosphere outside is too cold for the sun to effectively heat the air, but your home is a different atmosphere entirely. Open the blinds and curtains when the sun is shining directly in the windows. 

Alternatively, learn how to reduce energy consumption during the summer by using your blinds, windows, fans, and thermal curtains.

You Can Make a Difference

Learning how to reduce energy consumption can help protect our planet and save you money. While it may not seem like your efforts make much of a difference, they do. The more people take part, the more our planet will benefit.

Check out some of our other articles before you go. We have all kinds of information including tips, reviews, expert insights, and more.