How to Save Electricity, Money and Your Family

Learning how to save electricity is not hard and can actually be quite fun. Read our energy saving tips here.

Almost every day we hear about climate change, the cost of electricity and the need to lower our electricity and energy consumption. Climate change, the environment and the high cost of electricity are all excellent and compelling reasons for beginning an energy savings program but there are several other compelling reasons to engage in energy saving activities which are often overlooked. Here are five additional benefits you and your family will enjoy while learning how to save energy:

1. Improved family dynamics

2. Improved health and fitness

3. New learning experiences

4. New friends and activities

5. A simple and more sustainable lifestyle

The most immediate and effective way to save energy is to reduce consumption. There are many simple things you can do to significantly change and reduce your consumption that will also benefit your overall lifestyle.

How To Save Electricity - Practical Tips

• Save 15% off your monthly electric bill by turning off lights when you leave a room or turning off lights in areas of a room that are not in use.


• Arrange furniture to optimize windows and the natural light they provide within a room.


• 75% of the electricity used to power home electronics is consumed while the products are turned off. This can be avoided by unplugging the appliances or using a power strip and using the switch on the power strip to cut all power to the appliance.


• Wash and dry FULL loads. If you must do a small load make sure you are using the correct water level in the washer.


• Consider hand-washing dishes-especially single items or small loads.


• Instead of using the dishwasher drying cycle let dishes air dry. Only run the dishwasher when it has a full load.


• Use appropriate cooking utensils when cooking, Using pots and pans with a flat bottom can save you up to 50% extra energy. When cooking remember to keep the lid on the pot to conserve heat and energy. If the size of the pot matches the size of the stove burner you can save up to 25% on the electricity you use while cooking.


• Keep your refrigerator doors closed! Don't hold the door open looking to see what's inside or trying to decide what you want to eat. Every time you open the refrigerator door you lose 30% of the already chilled air inside the refrigerator.


• Keep freezers fully stocked. A fully stocked freezer is significantly more energy efficient than an empty freezer. If you don't have enough food, fill it with newspaper, ice trays, cold paks etc.


• Defrost freezers at regular intervals. The build up of frost and ice decreases the efficiency of the freezer and increases its energy consumption.


• If possible place the refrigerators and freezers away from direct sunlight, stoves/ovens or other heat sources.


• Check that the freezer temperature is correct. If you set it lower than needed (even 1 degree) you can raise your operating costs by 2-4%.


• Provide sufficient air flow around the refrigerator and freezer so that the condenser doesn't overheat.

Involve Your Whole Family

Go on a family bike hike. Not only will you be saving electricity inside your house but you'll be improving your health and physical conditioning at the same time.

For older children consider implementing an incentive program. Reward energy saving behavior. Consider a contest to see who can reduce their personal energy consumption the most.

Volunteer for community energy efficiency events where you can learn more about how to save energy while helping others to do the same. You might even make a few new friends! Learning how to save energy can actually be fun and improve your family relationships.

There are many more simple no cost and low cost strategies to save energy. Once you have designed an energy savings plan that optimizes no and low cost options then you can begin to investigate options that require modest to significant monetary investments such as tankless hot water, solar and wind power.

The improvement in your family dynamics, health and the knowledge that you are doing the right thing for the environment while you see increases in your bottom line will keep you motivated to learn more about how to save electricity, improve the environment and save money.

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