Day to Day Energy Saving Tips for Families to Practice This Summer

Posted by Guest Blogger on July 26, 2013

Conserving energy in your home can be easy and fun when all family members work together. Have children join in on energy savings by teaching them some basic energy savings tips this summer. Explain to children that reducing your home’s energy consumption helps save resources and money that could be used for fun things, such as going on a vacation. Next, make conservation easy. Start with the small things and add in a few new tips each week while helping implement these ideas into their daily routine. Once you have the family doing the simple things, ease into bigger habits that may affect your lifestyle.

• Here is a list of tips that can help your family develop energy efficient habits beginning this summer:
• Turn off lights or electronic devices when not in use. To help children remember, print notes and post them near light switches or other electronics as a visual reminder.
• Avoid repeatedly and unnecessarily opening refrigerators and freezers.
• When taking food in and out of the refrigerator, try to do it by opening only one door, rather than multiple open doors.
• Spend more time outdoors to decrease use of lights, TVs and electronics.
• Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes. Consider air drying both dishes and clothing.
• Take advantage of the cool evenings. Open your windows and cool your house during the nighttime hours, then close your house during the daytime hours.
• Use daylight instead of artificial light when possible.
• Avoid baking or cooking on hot days. Instead, consider grilling outside or using microwaves and countertop appliances instead of stoves and ovens.
• Use ceiling fans to help circulate cool air.
• When your cell phone is done charging, unplug the charger from the wall. The charger wastes energy when nothing is plugged in.
• Close shades, drapes and blinds on days to help keep hot air out.
• Open windows on cool evenings and turn off the A/C.
• Use fluorescent light bulbs. They use less electricity and create a lot less heat.
• Keep your thermostat at 78 degrees Fahrenheit.
• If you own a pool, turn off the filter when not in use.
• Take short showers instead of baths.

All of these do it yourself energy saving ideas are simple and easy. One idea may not seem like much savings, but when you do multiple actions together, the savings will add up much faster. For more information on energy savings tips specifically for children, visit ENERGY STAR'S page.

Have a great and safe summer!