There are many small ways you can conserve energy in your apartment. Small,
consistent efforts by individuals add up to savings.
Doing Laundry
Use as low a water temperature for washing clothes as will give satisfactory
cleaning; use cold water for rinsing. You might guess that most of the energy
used by a washing machine goes into vigorously swishing the clothes around. In
fact, about 90 percent of it is spent elsewhere, heating the water of the load.
You can save substantially by washing and rinsing at cooler temperatures. Warm
water helps the suds to get at the dirt, but cold-water detergents will work
effectively for just about everything in the hamper.
Don’t over dry your laundry. Clothes will need less ironing and hold up better
if you remove them from the dryer while they’re still just a bit damp.
Make sure to take advantage of the partial load setting on your washer if you
are not doing a full load of laundry.
In the Kitchen
Try to cut down on the number of times you use your dishwasher. Run only full
loads, preferably in the early morning or late evening when energy demands on
utility companies are lowest.
If you wash dishes by hand, don’t let water run continuously; fill a pan with
hot water for rinsing.
If your sink is equipped with one, use the sprayer to do your dishes and don’t
leave the water running continuously.
Think twice before turning on the oven. Heating food in the microwave uses
only 20 percent of the energy required by a full-sized oven.
Use the right pan. When cooking on the stovetop, pick your pan, and then put
it on an element or burner that’s roughly the same size. You’ll use much less
energy than you would with a mismatched burner and pan. Steam foods instead of
boiling. If you do boil, be sure to put a lid on the pot to make the water come
to a boil faster.
Around Your Home
During the winter, keep your thermostat set between 65 and 68 degrees during
the day and set it back to 60 degrees at night. Don’t “fiddle” with a thermostat
setting; that wastes energy. If you feel chilly, put on a sweater.
On overcast winter days and at night, keep shades and draperies closed; open
them on sunny days to take advantage of solar heat.
Keep heat registers, radiators or baseboard heating units free of dust and
don’t block them with furniture.
During the summer, air conditioners consume huge amounts of energy. If you
want a cool apartment when you get home from work, connect the unit to a timer
and set it to go on a half-hour before your arrival time. A thermostat setting
of 74 degrees or above is strongly recommended for air conditioned areas. Keep
windows and doors closed when an air conditioner is running and close draperies
or shades on sunny windows, but don’t block the cooling unit.
In summer, keep windows closed and covered during the hottest hours of the
day; open windows, top to bottom, after sunset. If possible, open windows
opposite one another to get cross ventilation.
Put your PC to sleep. Keep your computer and its monitor in sleep mode rather
than leaving them on around the clock. You stand to use 80 percent less
electricity.
Don’t forget that TV’s, VCR’s, CD players, cable boxes and even small
appliances will continue to consume energy even when turned off if they are
plugged in. Consider unplugging when you leave home or go on vacation.
Switch to those funny-looking fluorescent light bulbs. A single bulb can save
from $25 to $45 over its life. And it’s a long life: Manufacturers claim that
the new, energy saving bulbs last between 5 and 13 times longer than standard
incandescent bulbs.
In The Bathroom
Hot water requires large amounts of energy to heat it. Instead of baths, take
quick showers; you’ll use less hot water. Try not to take long showers.
Aim for five to ten minute showers.
Report any malfunctioning toilets to your property manager. Toilets are the
most wasteful when it comes to water.
The toilet should not be used for flushing trash. This wastes water and causes
the potential for problems.
Don’t leave the water running when washing your face or
brushing your teeth.
