BE CONSISTENT & ENERGY EFFICIENT!
Written by Madelyn Fisher
Whether you are just now entering college or coming back, it’s important to do your part to be sustainable and energy efficient. Saving the environment starts with YOU. While this is a hectic time with transporting items, buying new furniture, getting rid of old items, cleaning, etc… use these tips to teach yourself how to save energy, money, and the environment.
LED BULBS
Whether you’re moving into a dorm or into an apartment, there are some staple life hacks you should know! One of the first things you should do when moving in is switch any incandescent or CFLS’s light bulbs out for LED bulbs! LED bulbs use a significantly less amount of energy compared to traditional bulbs and are even cheaper!
PHANTOM ENERGY
Phantom power is known as ‘Vampire Power’, because it refers to the electronics that are unused, but are slowly sucking on energy that you don’t even notice. For example, having items like phone chargers, laptop chargers, printers, toasters, and power strips that are plugged in all add up to a decent amount of energy being wasted. A useful hack is investing in power strips that you can turn off the electricity for the many electronics that you plug in.
WASH IN FULL & COLD LOADS
A lot of household appliances like dishwashers and laundry units require lots of energy usage to heat up water. To fully utilize these appliances, wash in full loads on cool water. PS. DONT FORGET TO CLEAN YOUR LINT FILTER! This will make your clothes dry faster and reduce your electric bill!
USE YOUR AIR CONDITIONING, BLINDS & FANS WISELY
Moving into an apartment, house, or residence hall in the August heat in Tuscaloosa is a daunting task. As you’re moving items in and out of your space keep your exterior doors closed as much as possible. Closing your blinds and curtains to block out the sun keep your interior cooler. Also, utilizing a ceiling or personal fan can make you feel up to 4 degrees cooler! Keep your thermostat set on 72 F and in auto will keep your space comfortable.
TURN OFF YOUR LIGHTS
Before you leave your room turn off those lights! As you’re coming and going it’s easy to get distracted but forgetting to turn off the lights is wasting energy and you will have to replace the bulbs more often. Making the small step to turn off the lights makes a big impact on your power bill and environment!
CHECK FOR LEAKS & GAPS
Moving into a new residence is the perfect time to check for leakage and gaps! Double check your windows are caulked and that you don’t feel any warm air coming through the corners of your window. Make sure there are no water leaks around your kitchen and bathroom sinks. Make sure the seals on your refrigerator door are not leaking cool air out and the seal around your stove door is not letting hot air out. All of these can run up your utility cost and make your residence uncomfortable.
While some of these tips may seem like common knowledge, it’s important to actually implement these into your daily routine. The environment and your power bill will be grateful! Let’s kick off the school year being efficient and effective!