Energy Conservation

Introduction

Energy conservation is very important in to not only the community but also the world. By conserving energy you will not only be helping your bottom line by reducing you energy bills but you will also be helping the world's environment. An average savings of up to forty percent can be achieved though a properly implemented energy conservation plan

Renewable vs. Nonrenewable Resources

Renewable energy sources are sources that are self-sustaining. Nonrenewable energy sources are commonly called fossil fuels. In general non-renewable sources generate polluting emissions and renewable sources are cleaner. Most of the energy sources use today, about 94 percent, are nonrenewable sources.

Methods to conserve and help the environment

One area that you can reduce your energy consumption is simply adjusting your thermostat to between 65 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit. In addition to setting the thermostat to as low a temperature that feels comfortable, you should also set the temperature down by as much as ten degrees at night or when there is no one home. You should also set the temperature down to between 50 and 55 degrees Fahrenheit when there is going to be no one home for over a 24 hour period such as when you go on vacation. Installing a programmable thermostat will allow you to set programs to achieve the above recommendations to reduce your energy consumption.

Another area that energy conservation can be achieved is how you us your major appliances. You should keep your refrigerator between 37 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit and the freezer section at around 5 Fahrenheit in addition you should keep any stand alone freezers at around 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Also replacing gas pilot light appliances with electric ignition systems, and the flame on the same units should be adjusted so that it burns blue not yellow. Other appliances that energy conservation can be practiced on are your dishwasher by allowing the dishes to air dry rather than using the drying cycle, shutting off computers when they are not in use, and using appliances that feature a timed shut off switch.

The last area that energy conservation can be observed is the lighting in your house. Lights should always be shut off when not in use and task lighting should be used in lie of lighting the entire room. Also installing compact fluorescent or LED