This is perhaps a question you asked yourself at least once. Here I will give some of the most interesting actions that can be done. I use for this the most seen recommendations.
Basic moves for everyday
- First thing that can be done, and this easily : turn off the lights when you leave a room… ( simple, isn’t it ? )
- Turn of the television, the VCR, the computer instead of slowing down their activity. This way you will save energy.
- Replace classic light bulbs by low consumption light bulbs. This kind of light bulbs need five time less energy for the same lightning than regular ones. Definitively a bright idea. As I got some data on this topic I think I will one day talk about that.
- Sort out your waste. This will enable recycling it. Did you know that with a ton of used paper, 900 kg of brand new paper can be produced. In the same kind of ideas, glass has unlimited possibilities to be recycled and used again.
- Fill in the leaks in water pipes. You will decrease you water consumption, and hence your water bill. As I stated here, one has to avoid any piping leaks. This indeed can account for 15 to 20 percent of water consumption for households.
- Don’t over-heat your flat or house. Maintain 19°C in the bedrooms and 20 to 21 °C in the living room… Increasing the temperature by one degree Celsius increase the bill by 10 %… Wear a sweater if you feel to cold…This way you can save up to 30 % on your bill.
- Don’t use any air conditioning, whether in the car or in your flat. Take the heat ! Open the windows… With the insulation, you will be able to do without any A/C in your housing.
- For very short distances (maximum two kilometres ) go by foot or by bike rather than by car. Another good thing about that, it will keep you fit… You also use in town the public transportation system of your area.
- Eat only produces of the season… When eating produces when it is not the season means that they are imported or grown in greenhouse.
Investments or more important moves
- Insulate your housing. I am a huge fan of insulating places, in facts, I did an important part of my Master’s thesis on energy efficiency in the French residential sector. I also wrote recently an article on that subject (first part | second part).
- When replacing your domestic appliances such as the fridge or the washing machine, buy effective ones (A+ code in the European Union) They use up to 30 % less energy to operate in a more effective way than your old machine.
- Do a regular maintenance of your heating and plumbing system. A well maintained heating system needs much less fuel to heat. You can save up to 10 or 15 % this way…
- Buy or make buy a solar water heater for your house or building. Solar thermal energy is a very interesting way to decrease the use of polluting fossil fuels.