Resolve to Conserve Energy & Heat
Conservation Resolution Tips for the New Year from Ontario Power
The Chief Energy Conservation Officer of the Ontario Power Authority says that more can be done to conserve energy and offers ten tips on how to do it in the New Year.
The Ontario Power Authority (OPA) made it a priority to help its customers to reduce electrical use in 2007 and they succeeded. A briefing on the effort can be seen in the Annual Report entitled Taking Action. OPA's goal for the province is to reduce electrical use by 1,350 megawatts by the year 2010. In the spirit of the New Year, OPA encourages you to make energy conservation one of your annual resolutions.
Ten Energy Saving Tips from OPA:
- Turn Out the Lights! - Like your parents always said, turn off the lights burning in unused rooms. Replace your incandescent bulbs with equivalent compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs. CFLs last longer and use 75% less power. LED based lights are even more efficient
- Use a Power Bar with Timer - Use one to ensure unused appliances are completely shutdown. Buy Energy Star rated appliances
- Upgrade Your Old Refrigerator - A refrigerator purchased in 1975 uses four times the power a new Energy Star rated one. Purchase a thermometer to ensure the appliance is running only as cold as needed
- Schedule an Energy Audit - Have an energy auditor survey your home. Home owners may qualify for federal and provincial weatherizing grants
- Buy a Sweater - Use it to keep your thermostat set to a lower temperature. Every degree of temperature reduction can save five percent on heating costs. Consider purchasing a programmable thermostat to lower temperature while your are away from home
- Clean the Furnace Filter - Dirty furnace filters reduce required air flow and make the equipment work harder. A clean filter can help save five percent in heating costs. The same is true of dirty clothes dryer filters
- Take a Shower - A quick shower using a low-flow shower head will use only half the water required for a typical bath of 75 liters
- Wrap That Hot Water Heater - You can save ten percent of power required to operate an electric hot water heater by installing a tank insulating blanket sold at building supply centers. Insulate the hot water pipes exiting your hot water heater to further reduce energy loss
- Wash Clothes in Cold Water - Eighty-five to ninety percent of the energy used by a washing machine is from heating the water it uses. Washing in cold or warm water saves energy. Consider the purchase of a front-loader that uses half the water of a conventional top-loader. Six percent of the power used in Ontario is used to dry clothes. Use an outdoors clothesline when it is possible
- Scale Back Appliances - Using small, specialized appliances like toaster ovens or electric tea kettles uses less energy that their larger counterparts. Only run dishwashers when there is a full load and select the energy-saving cycle
Make saving energy one of your New Year's resolutions and cut back on the kilowatts!
The copyright of the article Resolve to Conserve Energy & Heat in Energy Conservation is owned by Alan Sorum. Permission to republish Resolve to Conserve Energy & Heat must be granted by the author in writing.
