SMALL HABIT CHANGES CREATE BIG ENERGY SAVINGS!

By Alma Copeland
TEAM Resources

Did you know?

• Using the no-heat dry dishwasher cycle instead of the heat-dry cycle can save you enough power to have a free month of electricity every two years.
• For stove tops it is best to match the size of the pot to the size of the stove element. It's more energy efficient to put small pots on small elements, and large pots on large ones. Place the pot or pan on the element before turning on the heat. Turn off the element before cooking is completed. Food will continue cooking with the remaining heat.
• Steaming vegetables uses less energy than boiling vegetables in water. When boiling, use a small amount of water.
• Each time you open an oven door to "sneak-a-peak" the temperature can drop as much as 24°C (75°F). More energy is required to bring it back to the correct temperature. Instead of turning on the oven light look through the oven door window.
• Convection ovens save time and energy on large dense items like large roasts and turkeys. There is less saving on baked goods because of the short cooking time, but take advantage of the even cooking on multiple racks.
• A self-clean oven consumes less energy than a non-self-clean oven because it is better insulated.
• A lot of energy goes into pre-heating an oven. Many foods can be started in a cold oven to make use of the energy it takes to heat up the oven. Exceptions are cakes and other baked goods. A refrigerator needs air circulation around the back, sides and top to be energy efficient.
• Placing a freezer in an uninsulated garage causes the freezer to work harder to keep food cold in the summer, and in winter lubricants can thicken putting extra strain on the equipment. The best place is in a dry, cool, well ventilated area.
• Constantly opening and closing refrigerator and freezer doors, and spending a lot of time searching for items, lets too much warm air into the appliance It has to work overtime just to chill out! Decide what you want before opening the door and have food organized so you know where to find it.
• In a dryer, blockage in the exhaust ducting or hinged vent cover or an extra-long exhaust vent will restrict the air flow, resulting in longer drying time and increased energy consumption.
• For mixed fabric loads in a dryer, try setting the dryer for 15 minutes less than usual. Remove the items that are already dry. Then set it for another 5 - 10 minutes to finish the load - and save energy.
• It is more energy efficient to use the microwave oven to heat up to two cups of water. For three or more cups, use your electric kettle.
• Baking potatoes in the microwave uses only 25 - 30% of the energy used in conventional cooking.
• An electric kettle uses about 40% less energy to boil water than a kettle on an electric range element. Because the kettle's heating element sits right in the water, it is more energy efficient. Also save energy by boiling only the amount of water you need.
• The most energy-efficient temperature setting for a water heater is 60°C (140°F).

We need to remind ourselves of the many ways we can save on our energy consumption. Using electricity efficiently puts money in our pockets and also helps the environment.

Source: City of Calgary Electric System

For more "green" tips, see the Environment Canada website at:
http://www.ec.gc.ca/envhome.html