New Year’s resolutions are a controversial thing. They are a controversial topic. Some swear by them while others shun them. Anyone who’s tried them knows it’s hard to make them stick.
Whatever your past experience, consider one of the easiest and most rewarding resolutions you can make—resolving to consume and waste less energy this year. It’s as simple as flipping a switch. The benefits start right away and you’ll smile when see your energy bills shrink.
These are just a few of the many ways you can get started.
Resolve to turn off what you’re not using. If you’re leaving a room, leave the lights on for a few seconds. Have electronics resting in “standby” or “sleep” mode? Leave the TV on, even if you’re not watching? All these things can result in a lot of wasted energy. When you shut them off, you’re immediately lowing your household energy expenses.
Automating the process can make it easier for you. For less than $50, you can get a smart power strip that will turn off everything plugged into it when the main device isn’t being used. Plug all of your computing equipment into the one and, when the computer is off the scanner, printer and monitor will also go off. Entertainment systems can be turned off by turning the TV off. The same goes for the stereo and the gaming system.
You must resolve to reduce phantom loads. Unplug all unused chargers (cellphones, tablets and laptops). Even if they’re not connected to a device, they still pull a small trickle of energy. You can reduce your energy bill by unplugging them. You can leave them plugged in using the smart power strip.
