With so much of energy being built into our daily system, the world suffers from excessive carbon emissions. One is sure to be surprised when they sit down and actually count their carbon footprints released everyday. The average home in the United States itself produces 150 pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere just by doing normal daily activities. These estimates have been released by National Geographic. What do we need to do to save energy and reduce our consumption? Here are a few simple steps;

Turn off the lights: – Whenever a room is not being used, make sure the lights are switched off, also if you have to leave the house and won’t be back in less than 5 minutes, turn off the lights!

Switch things off that don’t need to be on: – Electrical appliances like Televisions, radios, stereos, computers should be shut down and unplugged if no one is using them.

Air conditioning: – It gets hot during the summers and becomes unbearable, you can turn on the thermostat at an ideal 85 degrees, this way you will not require a lot of air conditioning. Fans can be turned on as they use less electricity and will cool upto 5 degrees. In the winter, wear warm clothes and keep the thermostat at 68 degrees.

In the bathroom: – Wasting water accounts for wastage in electricity. This is because electricity is used to supply water in big cities. Not wasting water will help save gallons of water per year. Leaky taps and faucets should be repaired so that they don’t leak.

Microwave uses: – Your microwave can be used to heat small amounts food, instead of turning on the stove. On the contrary if you’re cooking large amounts of food, the stove is ideal.

Refrigerator: – At all times make sure that the door of the refrigerator is closed well. If not cold air will escape outside and a lot more energy will be used to cool the inside of the fridge.

Energy efficient appliances: – These will help save a considerable amount of energy, since electronics make 20% of energy use. When buying an appliance, check for its energy efficiency.

With these simple steps it will be much easier for an individual to save on energy.