By Maya Palavali
Time your showers—
With record high temperatures, Texas is going through a drought this summer, according to NBC. Conserving water is key, which can be easily done through cutting back on unnecessary water usage. Instead of not showering as a whole, set a timer for your shower every day. If you usually take longer showers, lower the time each day by five minutes, or so. That way, you help the world and stay clean. Everyone will thank you for it, too.
Use alternate forms of transportation—
It’s tempting to use cars out of convenience, especially with the weather we’re having. However, according to UCLA Transportation, switching your schedule to include moderate biking can save up to 14 million tons of CO2 in the atmosphere. When you can, try to walk or even ride your bike to your destination.
Use natural light—
Nature is there to help us, and it is the best way to get a light source. The lack of artificial lighting will help your eyes, but it will benefit the environment even more. According to Elemental Green, substituting artificial light with natural light will reduce energy costs and usage drastically from day to day; it helps you and your surroundings.
Wash clothes with cold water and hang dry—
In the effort to conserve water, there is an overlap with conserving heat, too. According to Proctor and Gamble, the producer of the detergent, Tide, whenever you wash your clothes, using cold water uses 90% less energy compared to warm or hot water. It also leads to less usage of your resources and helps combat the current drought.
Unplug unused electronics—
Charging electronics or plugging them in uses up electricity; that’s simply how the concept works. When you aren’t actively using an appliance, take it out– it helps you reduce your energy bill and conserves energy that can be used elsewhere.
Use ceiling fans instead of ACs—
This summer, go old school; keeping it simple is what’s best for you. ACs use up energy. They use up your energy bill and impact the environment. Switch to using your ceiling fan– it’s more reliable and it helps you conserve your energy for needed times.
Replace air filters—
According to BELRED Energy Solutions, not replacing your air filter will hurt the environment by making your HVAC system work even harder. When the system works harder, it emits a larger amount of greenhouse gasses than needed. Help yourself in the long run by being proactive; keep an eye on your filter cleanliness.
Insulate your home—
Most homes already have this, but if you haven’t done so, make sure to insulate your homes.
Insulation is a material that helps with the heating and cooling process of a household. It helps stabilize the temperature year-round, keeping it cooler or warmer depending on what is needed.
Use energy efficient light bulbs—
According to the Home Tree company, energy efficient light bulbs use less heat when turned on.
With less heat, the bulb lasts approximately 12 times as long as a traditional light bulb. It conserves energy throughout your household and is easy to install; just replace the bulbs as you normally would.
Use the microwave instead of the stove—
Most stoves in our homes use gas compared to the electric microwaves. As we know, gas is a nonrenewable resource. Substituting with the microwave to heat up food will reduce the amount of gas you’re using. Another plus is utilizing your microwave is easier and more efficient.
