With so much going on in the average person’s day, it can be difficult to throw new things into the routine. Running out the door in the morning, checking your thermostat settings may be the last thing on your mind.
And for most, making sure appliances are unplugged if they won’t be in use during the workday when no one is home isn’t even close to the top of the to-do list. But improving the efficiency of your home can save you quite a lot of money on electricity bills. And saving money is one of those top-priority tasks on most everyone’s mind. So how can you easily fit this in to everything else going on without stressing yourself out?
Efficiency the Easy Way
The beauty of technology is that it provides convenience. Cell phones, tablets, laptops and other gadgets allow you to do so many things that were way more complicated even just a few short years ago. You can open an app to find a decent-rated takeout place on your way out of the office, text in your order and have it paid for and ready to pick up before you even reach the restaurant. And with a tap of a button, you can ask your phone to set a reminder for you when you remember the task at hand—no more notepads and pens lying around. These simple luxuries add up to convenience and simplicity so you have more time to focus on other things in your life.
With a growing market for “going green” and saving the earth’s resources, energy efficiency is a 300 billion-dollar-per-year industry! A lot of this investment goes into not only improving efficiency of utilities and major companies, but into appliances, programs and applications for consumers to improve the way their own home uses electricity.
The idea behind these is simple: make it easier for you (the average person) to be more energy-conscious. In a recent study, 92% of Americans surveyed said conserving energy was important to them for environmental reasons. And over 79% answered that they would install or use energy-efficient devices knowing it would save them money on electric bills over time. Knowing this, more and more companies are coming up with ways to accomplish it easily for the majority.
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What Are Some of Your Options?
So what has been developed to help you fit the additional responsibility of conserving electricity into your already busy life? Here are just a few possibilities:
- Energy Star Appliances – These are appliances built to exact specifications that are proven to use less electricity. Refrigerators, televisions, washing machines, dishwashers, computers and pretty much any other electrical or electronic device you can think of has an Energy Star rated option available for purchase. These often come with labels that show you how much you can expect to save on your electric bills annually just by replacing an earlier, less-efficient model. (Visit energystar.gov for more information about their devices and appliances.)
- Power Factor Correction Devices – These are a specific class of device that actually gets installed in your home, either at the main power panel or the source of a particularly inefficient appliance. Using the technology of capacitors, these devices can store electrical charge initially drawn from the power source but not used, or used inefficiently and flow it back to the device later, effectively recycling it back into your home for a more steady and resourceful use of electricity. (Go to electricsaver1200.com for more information about what Power Factor correction means and how it could save you up to 25% per month on your electric bills.)
- “Smart” Thermostats and Power Devices – These are an array of different products geared toward eliminating electricity waste from appliances that are either inefficient or soak up power even when they are not in use. By learning about your usage habits, these actually program your air conditioner, plugged-in appliances and sometimes even all the lights in your home, depending on what you’ve installed, to give you more control over your electric use and help you cut down on waste. (For more information, check out nest.com/thermostat/saving-energy for a great smart thermostat and wink.com for information about a whole-home energy saving system.)
Summary
There are many products, apps and devices available that are geared toward helping you improve your home's energy efficiency and use less electricity. When you use less, less resources have to be burned up in power plants and less greenhouse gases are emitted, which means a healthier and less-polluted planet. And, when you use less and eliminate waste, you can take control of your electric bill and save money as well! It’s a win-win situation that helps you lead a cleaner and more responsible life and see benefits immediately. With so many options, you no longer have to pile on more and more things to worry about in your daily life, and you may actually be able to strike some off your list! Get started today in your endeavors to live greener!
