Just in time for Earth Day: 15 summer electricity saving tips

By badbadivy

With Earth Day coming up on Sunday, here are some tips to conserve electricity this summer.

1. Switch your lightbulbs to compact flourescent bulbs. (You know, the cool twisty kind?) Home Depot is giving away a million of these bulbs on Sunday, April 22nd.

2. Many overhead light fixtures have 2 or 3 bulbs in them. Consider letting one burnt out light stay burnt out. You'll find the amount of light you're losing is negligible.

3. Better yet, instead of using overhead lights, use a lamp with just one bulb.

4. Put off starting to use your air conditioner as long as possible. You'll be surprised at how much heat you can get used to.

5. When you do turn your AC on, set it a degree or two warmer than you are normally used to. I personally find 78 to be quite comfortable- not too hot, not too cool. Or use a programmable thermostat- set your thermostat to 85 during the day when you're not home and save some electricity that way.

6. Make sure the area around your air conditioner is clear of weeds and debris. Air conditioners need air flowing freely around them to operate efficiently.

7. Run your ceiling fans to keep air flowing through your home.

8. Don't forget to change your furnace filters, a dirty filter causes strain on your air conditioner.

9. Keep your blinds and/or curtains closed during the day when you are running the electricity.

10. Do your laundry at night. Running the dryer heats up the house, and doing so during the day makes your AC have to work harder.

11. Even better: dry your clothing on a clothes line.

12. On a similar note, avoid using your oven. It also heats up your house, so grill out, use your microwave, or your crock pot.

13. Turn your computer off. Go to the beach or the park.

14. Operate your pool more efficiently. Consider replacing pool pumps and motors with updated, more efficient equipment.

15. Use a reel lawnmower instead of a gas powered or electric mower. That is, if your lawn is flat enough and small enough.

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energy earth day