5 Easy Instant Energy Reduction Tips

Universally accepted is ‘Energy cannot be created or destroyed’ – however, it can be wasted. There are two main reasons you should care about reducing your energy consumption: it decreases your contribution to polluting the environment, and although that should be (but might not be) reason enough, it also cuts costs spent on energy. This blog will give you 5 implementable tips on how to cut down on your energy consumption.

1. Switch off/unplug appliances, not in use:

 This one lends from common sense; it is obvious, however, often forgotten in the hustle of the day. If you aren’t using the appliances then you don’t need them on. If you walk out of a room, turn off the lights. Not watching tv, then switch it off from the wall. Not heating food? Unplug the microwave. This tip is one of the easier ones as it involves saving energy that doesn’t create any personal discomfort by not being consumed.

2. Use natural light:

The tip above focuses specifically on saving energy consumed by lights by offering a natural, and cheap, alternative. The sun in Nigeria is up for approximately twelve and a half hours so natural light is also readily available to meet your needs and cut down your costs. However, I am cognizant of the fact that not everyone has windows that allow for utilizable natural light so perhaps this tip might not be for you but keep reading, as the following may be.

3. Take cold showers (if not then shorter showers):

Water heaters are one of the most energy-consuming appliances in the house therefore cutting down your use of your water heater can significantly cut your energy consumption. If you take shorter showers, and therefore need less hot water, you use the heater less which equals less energy consumed. Conversely, you can shower to your heart’s desire with cold water and save energy that way and in a country as hot as ours, it doesn’t seem that big of a prize to pay to conserve energy.

4. Work with the weather:

In Nigeria, we are aware of the general hot weather and the rains during the summer months. We might complain or rejoice about either-or, and often leave it there. However, I truly believe if we learned to work with the weather, it could result in reducing our energy consumption. For example, opening your windows after the rains to let the cool air in eliminates the need for turning on the A.C; the dryer is without when the sun is out, and wearing light clothing indoor when it is warmer is an alternative to switching on your fan. Adjusting your lifestyle to accommodate the weather, in a way that can benefit you, is a good way to save energy.

5. Buy energy-efficient appliances:

This is the last tip as I recognize that it may not apply to everyone. However, if you find yourself in a prosperous position where you can spend a little extra to get energy-efficient appliances that consume less energy to do the same amount of work – I heavily suggest it.

I hope this has been informative and I challenge you to implement at least 2 of these tips daily from now on. Share with a friend so we can all work towards living greener and cheaper.

–           Ime-Ruth Udoh